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Books for Keeps 164 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 164 - May 2007

Cover Story
This issue’s cover is from Philip Reeve’s Here Lies Arthur. Philip Reeve is interviewed by Geoff Fox. Thanks to Scholastic Children’s Books for their help with this May cover.

BfK No. 164 Articles

Editorial - May 2007

News and comment from the Editor.
BfK Profile: Julia Golding

Stephanie Nettell on the 'Cat Royal' trilogy.
The Depiction of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in Contemporary Children’s Fiction: Part 1

Professor Fouad Moughrabi discusses Lynne Reid Banks' Broken Bridge.
‘Teaching’ Poems for Children: A Chinese Poem

Robert Hull explores how to use a Chinese poem.
Authorgraph No.164: Philip Reeve

Philip Reeve interviewed by Geoff Fox.
Turning Young Readers on to the Classics

Peter Hollindale looks at editions aimed at young readers.
An Innovative Publisher: Tara Books

Nicky Potter meets the peole behind the imprint.
I Wish I’d Written… The Outsiders

Justin Somper chooses S E Hinton's The Outsiders.
Hal’s Reading Diary - May 2007

Roger Mills is read to by Hal.
Useful Organisations No.49: Children’s Book Sequels

Ever wondered ‘What comes next?’ when you’re reading a really good book?
BfK Briefing - May 2007

News * Letter to the Editor * Event
Good Reads: Hitchin Boys’ School

Reviews from Hitchin Boys’ School, Hertfordshire.

Classics in Short No.63: English Fairy Tales

Brian Alderson on Joseph Jacobs's English Fairy Tales and More English Fairy Tales.

Editor's Choice

Ottoline and the Yellow Cat
Chris Riddell
(Macmillan Children's Books)
5

Told in a seamless combination of words and line drawings, this story introduces Ottoline and her small hairy companion Mr Munroe whom Ottoline’s explorer parents found in a bog in Norway. Ottoline lives in what looks like a New York skyscraper...

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New Talent

The Inventors
Alexander Gordon Smith
Jamie Webb
(Faber & Faber)
3

Nate and Cat love inventing and although things often go wrong (a mechanical dresser makes great gashes in Nate’s bedroom wall) the friends’ passion for creating gadgets is undiminished. They make a good team as Nate is the one who comes up with...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 164

  • Under 5s
  • Ages 5-8
  • Ages 8-10
  • Ages 10-14
  • Ages 14+

Under 5s

  • Monkey and Me
    Emily Gravett
    5

  • The Little Fish who cried Shark!
    Trish Phillips
    4

  • How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?
    Jane Yolen
    4

  • Elmer's First Counting Book ¦ Elmer's Opposites
    David McKee
    4

  • Piglet and Papa
    Margaret Wild
    3

  • Lulu loves the Library
    Anna McQuinn
    3

Ages 5-8

  • The Wild Girl
    Chris Wormell
    5

  • The Tale of Tales
    Tony Mitton
    5

  • Home Now
    Lesley Beake
    5

  • Trains
    Robert Crowther
    4

  • The Saddest King
    Chris Wormell
    4

  • The Enchanted Lake
    Leena Jamil
    4

  • Wizzbang Wizard: Dragon Danger/Grasshopper Glue
    Scoular Anderson
    3

  • Weather
    Penelope Arlon
    3

  • Victoria's Day
    Maria De Fatima Campos
    3

  • Sharks and other dangers of the deep
    Simon Mugford
    3

  • Milo Mouse and the Scary Monster
    Louis Baum
    3

  • Fox Tale
    Michael Foreman
    3

  • Handa's Surprising Day
    Eileen Browne
    2

  • Brave Charlotte
    Anu Stohner
    2

Ages 8-10

  • Ottoline and the Yellow Cat
    Chris Riddell
    5

  • Beauty and the Beast
    5

  • How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III
    Cressida Cowell
    4

  • Dragonsdale
    Salamanda Drake
    4

  • Circus Shoes
    Noel Streatfeild
    4

  • Christophe's Story
    Nicki Cornwell
    4

  • Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
    4

  • Young Gardener
    Stefan Buczacki
    Beverley Buczacki
    3

  • The Inventors
    Alexander Gordon Smith
    Jamie Webb
    3

  • Arts and Crafts of Ancient China ¦ China
    Ting Morris
    3

Ages 10-14

  • Tug of War
    Catherine Forde
    5

  • Silverhorse
    Lene Kaaberbol
    5

  • Jacky Daydream
    Jacqueline Wilson
    5

  • I was a Schoolboy Bridegroom
    Alex Shearer
    5

  • Here Lies Arthur
    Philip Reeve
    5

  • Blart II: The Boy Who Was Wanted Dead or Alive - or Both
    Dominic Barker
    5

  • The Wind Eye
    Robert Westall
    4

  • A Thief in the House of Memory
    Tim Wynne-Jones
    4

  • Slave Girl
    Jackie French
    4

  • The Killing Sea
    Richard Lewis
    4

  • Give Me Shelter
    4

  • Emil and Karl
    Yankev Glatshteyn
    4

  • The Dream Quake
    Elizabeth Knox
    4

  • Shark!; Thing
    Michaela Morgan
    3

  • The Starlight Conspiracy
    Steve Voake
    3

  • Rubies in the Snow
    Kate Hubbard
    3

  • Resistance
    Craig Simpson
    3

  • Kate
    Siobhan Parkinson
    3

  • The Highwayman's Footsteps
    Nicola Morgan
    3

  • Chasing the Sun: Stories from Africa
    3

  • Being
    Kevin Brooks
    3

  • Un Lun Dun
    China Mieville
    2

  • Castle
    Richard Platt
    2

Ages 14+

  • Set in Stone
    Linda Newbery
    5

  • The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol I: The Pox Party
    M T Anderson
    5

  • Specials
    Scott Westerfeld
    4

  • Red Tears
    Joanna Kenrick
    4

  • Are We There Yet?
    David Levithan
    4

  • Star-Crossed
    Rachael Wing
    3

  • Slut?
    Kerry Cohen Hoffmann
    3

  • Ophelia
    Lisa Klein
    3

  • Finding Grace
    Alyssa Brugman
    3

  • Across the Wall: A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories
    Garth Nix
    3

  • The Raven Queen
    Pauline Francis
    2

BfK News

NATASHA FARRANT WINS 2020 COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD

Natasha Farrant

Writer and literary scout Natasha Farrant has won the 2020 Costa Children’s Book Award for Voyage of the Sparrowhawk, a book which the judges described as ‘pure heavenly escapism and a purely joyful read.’

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ROBIN WALKER WINS THE 2020 ALCS EDUCATIONAL WRITERS’ AWARD FOR BLACK HISTORY MATTERS

The winner of the 2020 ALCS Educational Writers’ Award is Black History Matters: The Story of Black History, From African Kingdoms to Black Lives Matter. Written by acclaimed Black historian, Robin Walker, the 2020 judges praised this accessible, comprehensive and inspiring book which provides a timely introduction both to Black history and the Black Lives Matter movement.

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IBBY UK nominate Marcus Sedgwick and David McKee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2022

IBBY UK has announced that Marcus Sedgwick and David McKee will be the UK nominations for the 2022 Hans Christian Andersen Award.

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SHORTLIST FOR THE COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2020

Debut authors Darren Charlton and Jenny Pearson join Natasha Farrant and Meg Rosoff on the shortlist for the 2020 Costa Children’s Book Award.

The shortlist for the 2020 Costa Children’s Book Award has been announced. No less than 146 books were submitted and from those the judges have chosen a shortlist of four. They are:

Wranglestone by Darren Charlton (Little Tiger)

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BOOKTRUST’S REPRESENTS INTERIM RESEARCH & CLPE REFLECTING REALITIES SURVEY 2020

CLPE Reflecting Realities Report 2020

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SHORTLIST FOR THE 2021 BLUE PETER BOOK AWARDS REVEALED

The six books shortlisted for the 2021 Blue Peter Book Awards have been announced.

Blue Peter Book Award logo

read more...
Happy National Non-Fiction November 2020

It’s National Non-Fiction November! Organised by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups, National Non-Fiction November is an annual celebration of the power of non-fiction to inspire children and celebrate readers who have a passion for information and facts. 2020 is the 10th anniversary of National Non-Fiction November.

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JANE PORTER AND MAISIE PARADISE SHEARRING 2020 LITTLE REBELS AWARD WINNERS

Jane Porter and Maisie Paradise Shearring have won the 2020 Little Rebels Award for their picture book The Boy who Loved Everyone. They will share the £2000 prize.

Little Rebels logo 2020

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OU AND MACMILLAN CHILDREN’S BOOKS LAUNCH BOOK CHAT SCHEME

The Open University (OU) is launching Book Chat: Reading with your Child, a resource which comprises three short films and support materials to help parents, families and carers read books conversationally and creatively to children. Working with Macmillan Children’s Books, the films use a selection of their picture books and a poetry collection to support families with reading to different ages of children.

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TOM PALMER WINS THE CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2020

Tom Palmer

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