Editorial 270
Happy New Year to our readers from all of us at Books for Keeps.
This January issue is our 270th no less and we’re proud that in a world beset with so much uncertainty and the erosion of so much that we’ve come to take for granted, Books for Keeps is still here and still reporting on and celebrating the best books for the most important reading audience of all, children. On this note, huge thanks to all the editors who responded to our request for 100 words on the book or books they’re most excited to be publishing in 2025: this year’s round up is probably our largest yet, and our reviewers will have their work cut out in the months ahead.
There’s also a focus in this edition on the issues that will be at the fore in children’s literature this year and the challenge of halting the decline in children’s reading for pleasure is preeminent. Six months or so since his inauguration as Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Frank Cottrell-Boyce will be hoping to find ways to address this through ‘The Reading Rights Summit’ taking place at Liverpool’s iconic St George’s Hall on 22 January.
This day-long summit, in partnership with BookTrust will bring together ‘high-profile, expert voices in the political, education, literacy, early years, arts and health sectors’ with a view to recommending policy action that will ensure ‘the life-changing benefits of children’s reading are taken seriously’. Cottrell-Boyce launched his ‘Reading Rights: Books Build a Brighter Future’ campaign on appointment as Waterstones Children’s Laureate in July 2024, pledging to address ‘invisible privilege and inequality’ within books and reading, and calling for national provision so that every child – from their earliest years – has access to the transformative ways in which they improve long-term life chances. We will report on the event and hope to follow implementation of any recommendations in the years ahead.
Beyond the Secret Garden in book form
We published the first Beyond the Secret Garden article by Professor Karen Sands-O’Connor and Darren Chetty – now Dr Darren Chetty – in issue number 299, back in March 2018 and are delighted to see the columns now turned into a book. Beyond the Secret Garden: children’s literature and representations of black and racially minoritised people will be available from the English and Media Centre from 30 January and is highly recommended. Karen and Darren will continue to contribute new Beyond the Secret Garden columns for Books for Keeps and, with the disappointing findings of the most recent CLPE Reflecting Realities report, which shows a drop in the presence of racially minoritised characters in books published for children in the UK, there is clearly a lot more to be said.
Goodbye to old friends
We were saddened to hear of the death of Morag Styles, a great friend and regular contributor to Books for Keeps, and one of the country’s outstanding champions of poetry for children. Her obituary features in this issue. Also lost to us last year, were three people who in their different ways did a great deal to further children’s reading and reading for pleasure. As MD of Peters Library Service, Ray Dyer, who died in October 2024, was involved with campaigns such as Great School Libraries, National Literacy Trust’s Libraries for Primary campaign, but worked every day to promote children’s books and support the librarians and teachers who use them. Tricia Kings was an outstanding chair of the Carnegie Kate Greenaway Medals in 1998 and 1999, and worked on campaigns such as Their Reading Futures, Chatterbooks and Reading Friends. An occasional but valued contributor to Books for Keeps too, she will be remembered with affection by everyone she worked with, as will Angela McNally, onetime chair of the CILIP Carnegie/Kate Greenaway Working Party and another inspiring, dedicated promoter of reading. Children’s literature is poorer without them.
Here’s hoping for good things for 2025 and as always, if you appreciate what we do, do please make a contribution via PayPal or our Givey fundraising page – work to transfer 45 years of our archive to the website continues and donations, small or large, are vital to our future.
