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Books for Keeps 137 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 137 - November 2002

Cover Story
This issue's cover illustration is from Lian Hearn's Across the Nightingale Floor which is discussed by Clive Barnes. Thanks to Pan Macmillan for their help with this November cover.

BfK No. 137 Articles

Editorial - November 2002

News and comment from the Editor.
Is Across the Nightingale Floor a Crossover Title?

Clive Barnes on an epic novel with broad appeal.
Christmas Delights

Stephanie Nettell on books with a Christmas theme.
Giving a Book at Christmas

Fiona Waters on new gift anthologies.
Recent Poetry for Children

Peter Hollindale assesses new titles.
Authorgraph No.137: Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer interviewed by Robert Dunbar.
Drawn from Life: Shirley Hughes and Quentin Blake

Joanna Carey on accounts of drawing lives.
Hal’s Reading Diary - November 2002

Roger Mills on his son Hal at 20 months.
BfK Briefing - November 2002

News * Events * Publications * Awards * Obituary
Useful Organisations No.24: The Children's Books History Society

Promotes an appreciation of children's books via newsletters, publications, meetings and talks.
I Wish I’d Written... Sabriel

James Riordan chooses Garth Nix's Sabriel.
Good Reads: Homefield School

Reviews from pupils of Homefield School, Sutton, Surrey.
Classics in Short No.36: Hobberdy Dick

Brian Alderson on Katharine Briggs's Hobberdy Dick.

Editor's Choice

The Smartest GIANT in Town
Julia Donaldson
(Macmillan Children's Books)
5

George the genial giant kits himself out with a smart new outfit only to find that the animals he meets on his way home all need his help. His new shirt becomes a sail, a new shoe a house for some mice, his sock a sleeping bag, and so forth....

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New Talent

Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism
Georgia Byng
(Macmillan Children's Books)
4

Orphan Molly lives at Hardwick House orphanage under the far from benevolent care of Miss Adderstone. Her only escape from bullying and deprivation is in daydreams or the occasional visit from Mrs Trinklebury, the kind vilage woman who looked...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 137

  • Under 5s
  • Ages 5-8
  • Ages 8-10
  • Ages 10-14
  • Ages 14+
  • Books About Children's Books

Under 5s

  • The Smartest GIANT in Town
    Julia Donaldson
    5

  • I Want a Cuddle!
    Malorie Blackman
    5

  • Handa's Hen
    Eileen Browne
    5

  • The Moon Jumpers
    Janice May Udry
    4

  • Poochie-Poo
    Helen Stephens
    4

  • Race Day!
    Gwen Grant
    4

  • Mimi's Book of Counting; Mimi's Book of Opposites
    Emma Chichester Clark
    4

  • Hush Little Ones
    John Butler
    3

  • The Lion Storyteller Book of Animal Tales
    Bob Hartman
    3

  • The Witch's Children
    Ursula Jones
    3

  • Max and the Rainbow Rain Hat
    Gus Clarke
    3

  • No Trouble at All
    Sally Grindley
    3

  • Crispin and the Three Little Piglets
    Ted Dewan
    3

  • Elmer and the Lost Teddy
    David McKee
    3

  • I Know a Rhino
    Charles Fuge
    3

  • Louie's BIG BOOK of Words
    Yves Got
    3

  • Hat off, Baby!
    Jan Ormerod
    2

Ages 5-8

  • Notso Hotso
    Anne Fine
    5

  • S.W.A.L.K.
    Colin McNaughton
    5

  • The Earth from the Air for Children
    Yann Arthus-Bertrand
    4

  • The Secret Life of Ms Wiz
    Terence Blacker
    4

  • The Adventures of a Nose
    Viviane Schwarz
    4

  • Princesses Are Not Quitters!
    Kate Lum
    4

  • Horrid Henry and the Bogey Babysitter
    Francesca Simon
    3

  • George and the Dragon and other saintly stories
    Richard Brassey
    3

  • Little Old Mrs Pepperpot / Mrs Pepperpot Again
    Alf Prøysen
    2

Ages 8-10

  • Look! Zoom in on Art!
    Gillian Wolfe
    5

  • The Greeks on Stage
    Geraldine McCaughrean
    4

  • Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism
    Georgia Byng
    4

  • The Worlds of Chrestomanci
    Diana Wynne Jones
    4

  • The Yellow Star: The Legend of King Christian X of Denmark
    Carmen Agra Deedy
    4

  • Growing up in the Seventies; Growing up in the Eighties
    Kathryn Walker
    3

  • The Secret Summer of Daniel Lyons
    Roy Apps
    3

  • Dan's Angel
    Alexander Sturgis
    2

  • Into the Lion's Den; Dear Ms; Something Slimy on Primrose Drive; The Ramsbottom Rumble
    Terry Deary
    2

Ages 10-14

  • Why are Castles Castle-Shaped?; The Archaeolgist's Handbook
    5

  • The Thief Lord
    Cornelia Funke
    5

  • Dovey Coe
    Frances O'Roark Dowell
    5

  • The Alchemist's Apprentice
    Kate Thompson
    5

  • The African-American Slave Trade; South Africa Since Apartheid
    R G Grant
    4

  • Waking Dream
    Rhiannon Lassiter
    4

  • The Dark Horse
    Marcus Sedgwick
    4

  • The Worm in the Well
    William Mayne
    4

  • Star Dragon; Resistance; Young Dracula; Mad Iris
    Douglas Hill
    4

  • Advertising; Film; Internet; Newspapers and Magazines
    Julian Petley
    3

  • Carwash
    Lesley Howarth
    3

  • Branded
    M E Allen
    3

  • Jim Davis
    John Masefield
    2

Ages 14+

  • The Shell House
    Linda Newbery
    4

  • Who is Jesse Flood?
    Malachy Doyle
    4

  • Bright Angel
    Carol Hedges
    3

  • Weetzie Bat
    Francesca Lia Block
    3

Books About Children's Books

  • Beatrix Potter to Harry Potter: portraits of children's writers; Magic Pencil: children's book illustration today
    Julia Eccleshare
    3

  • A Guide to the Harry Potter Novels
    Julia Eccleshare
    3

  • British Folk-Tales and Legends: a sampler; Stories and Tales
    Katharine Briggs
    2

BfK News

The Children's Book Award 2019

Earlier this month, Arree Chung was named overall winner of The Children’s Book Award 2019. His book Mixed, which he wrote and illustrated, also won the Books for Younger Children category before going on to win the overall prize.

read more...
WINNERS OF THE 2019 CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

The winners of the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals have been announced at a ceremony at The British Library, hosted by broadcaster and writer Konnie Huq.

read more...
BRANFORD BOASE AWARD SHORTLIST 2019

The children’s authors to watch: shortlist for the 2019 Branford Boase Award announced

Branford Boase Award shortlist 2019

read more...
THE YEAR'S BEST POETRY FOR CHILDREN: CLiPPA 2019 SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) has announced the 2019 shortlist for their poetry award, CLiPPA (The Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award). Children’s poetry is booming and there were a record number of entries for the CLiPPA, the only award for children’s poetry.

read more...
THE LITTLE REBELS AWARD SHORTLIST 2019

Little Rebels prize logoThe shortlist for the 2019 Little Rebels Award has been announced. Seven books have made the list with war and conflict recurring themes.

read more...
SHORTLISTS FOR 2019 CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

The shortlists for the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals have been announced. Selected by volunteer Youth Librarians from longlists of 20 books per medal, there are eight on each shortlist.

Alongside previously shortlisted authors and illustrators, there are newcomers on each shortlist, and as the poetry boom for young readers continues, three verse novels make the Carnegie shortlist by US authors Elizabeth Acevedo, Kwame Alexander and Jason Reynolds.

The 2019 shortlists are as follows:

read more...
BLUE PETER BOOK AWARD WINNERS 2019

The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Raúf and The Colours of History by Clive Gifford, illustrated by Marc-Etienne Peintre, have been revealed as the 2019 Blue Peter Book Award winners.

read more...
LONGLISTS FOR 2019 CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS ANNOUNCED

The longlists for the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals have been announced. Members of YLG have selected 20 books for each list from no less than 254 nominations.

read more...
WINNERS OF THE LAUGH OUT LOUD BOOK AWARDS 2019

Funny Women win the Lollies!

Lollies winners 2019

Elys Dolan, Emer Stamp and Tom Gates creator Liz Pichon have been named the winners of the 2019 Laugh Out Loud Awards, or Lollies.

read more...
HILARY MCKAY WINS COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD WITH ‘PERFECT’ NOVEL

Hilary McKay has won the Costa Children’s Book Award for the second time for The Skylarks’ War, a story following the loves and losses of a family growing up against the backdrop of World War One. The judges described The Skylarks’ War as ‘as perfect a novel as you could ever want to read’. She receives £5,000 and her book is now eligible for the ultimate prize - the 2018 Costa Book of the Year.

read more...
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