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Books for Keeps 169 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 169 - March 2008

Cover Story
This issue’s cover (photograph by Kamil Vojnar) is from Siobhan Dowd’s Bog Child. Siobhan Dowd is remembered by Julia Eccleshare. Thanks to Random House Children’s Books for their help with this January cover.

BfK No. 169 Articles

Editorial - March 2008

News and comment from the Editor.
Don’t Take It as Read: a disturbing bedtime story

Joanna Oldham explains the research into bedtime reading

 
Laureate Log - March 2008

Michael Rosen reports on his laureateship.
Hal’s Reading Diary - March 2008

Roger Mills on how a story on tape gave Hal reading confidence.
Using Children’s Literature to Challenge Homophobia in Primary Schools

Elizabeth Atkinson and Renée DePalma report on research conducted by the No Outsiders project.
Reading in the Middle Years (9-11): Assessing the uses and quality of laughter and subversion in children’s poetry

Andrew Lambirth explores the role of subversive poetry.
What happened to England’s National Literacy Strategy?

Henrietta Dombey assesses the evidence.
Authorgraph No.169: Siobhan Dowd

Siobhan Dowd remembered by Julia Eccleshare.
I Wish I’d Written… Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Sarah Garland chooses William Steig's Sylvester and the Magic Pebble.
Good Reads: Bookworms Club

Reviews from Bookworms Book Club,

Classics in Short No.68: Pippi Longstocking

Brian Alderson on Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking.

Editor's Choice

Emily Brown and the Thing
Cressida Cowell
(Orchard Books)
5

Emily Brown and her old grey rabbit Stanley first featured in That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown. In this new picture book the pair are trying to get to sleep but a Thing keeps disturbing them – first it wants its cuddly, then...

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New Talent

Alis
Naomi Rich
(Andersen Press)
3

When Alis, soon to be 15, is told by her parents that she is to marry the 40-year-old Minister of her church, she is horrified. But Alis’s mother is the Senior Elder of Freeborne, a small rural community with fundamentalist religious beliefs,...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 169

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

Under 5s

  • Emily Brown and the Thing
    Cressida Cowell
    5

  • The Way Back Home
    Oliver Jeffers
    5

  • Eddie's Kitchen and How to Make Good Things to Eat
    Sarah Garland
    5

  • The Bear in the Cave
    Michael Rosen
    5

  • My Two Grannies
    Floella Benjamin
    4

  • The Frog Bride
    4

  • A Bell for Ursli
    Selina Chonz
    3

  • Two Tough Teddies
    Kilmeny Niland
    3

  • The Day the Baby Blew Away
    Simon Puttock
    2

Ages 5-8

  • Voices of the Rainforest
    Mick Manning
    Brita Granström
    5

  • Stone Age Boy
    Satoshi Kitamura
    5

  • Tracks of a Panda
    Nick Dowson
    4

  • The Big Book of Betsey Biggalow
    Malorie Blackman
    4

  • The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor
    James Riordan
    3

  • The Littlest Pirate in a Pickle
    Sherryl Clark
    3

  • Bullies and Gangs ¦ Bullying
    Julie Johnson
    3

Ages 8-10

  • The Thousand Nights and One Night
    5

  • The Invention of Hugo Cabret
    Brian Selznick
    5

  • The Ice Cream Con
    Jimmy Docherty
    4

  • How to Turn Your Parents Green
    James Russell
    4

  • Greek Hero
    Mick Manning
    Brita Granström
    4

  • Dust 'n' Bones
    Chris Mould
    4

  • The Cupcake Diaries: Emma on Thin Icing
    Coco Simon
    3

  • Viking
    Carrie Love
    Lorrie Mack
    3

  • Triskellion
    Will Peterson
    3

  • Sensible Hare and the Case of Carrots
    Daren King
    3

  • Quest for the Lost City of Gold
    Stephen Biesty
    3

  • How the Incredible Human Body Works by the Brainwaves
    Richard Walker
    3

  • Pandora's Box ¦ Sephy's Story ¦ Wings of Icarus ¦ The Story Thief ¦ The Little Puppet Boy ¦ The Hound of Ulster
    Rose Impey
    3

  • A Good Day for Haunting
    Louise Arnold
    3

  • Elephants: a book for children
    3

  • The Cat Who Decided
    Margaret Forrester
    3

  • The Far Planets
    Ian Graham
    2

Ages 10-14

  • Starcross
    Philip Reeve
    5

  • Dragon Horse
    Peter Ward
    5

  • Shadow Web
    N M Browne
    4

  • New Materials
    Robin Kerrod
    4

  • Nevermore
    Linda Newbery
    4

  • Joe Rat
    Mark Barratt
    4

  • Black Heart of Jamaica
    Julia Golding
    4

  • Before Wings
    Beth Goobie
    4

  • Young People's History of the United States, A: Vol. 1
    Howard Zinn
    3

  • Vampirates: Blood Captain
    Justin Somper
    3

  • The Tiger's Egg
    Jon Berkeley
    3

  • The Red Necklace: a story of the French Revolution
    Sally Gardner
    3

  • Jigsaw
    Garry Kilworth
    3

  • If a Tree Falls at Lunch Break
    Gennifer Choldenko
    3

  • Hootcat Hill
    Lucy Coats
    3

  • Crowboy
    David Calcutt
    3

  • The Castle Corona
    Sharon Creech
    3

  • The Secret Garden
    Frances Hodgson Burnett
    2

  • Barnaby Grimes: Return of the Emerald Skull
    Paul Stewart
    Chris Riddell
    2

  • Energy Crisis
    Ewan McLeish
    1

Ages 14+

  • Black Rabbit Summer
    Kevin Brooks
    5

  • Between Two Seas
    Marie-Louise Jensen
    5

  • The Teenager's Guide to Money
    Jonathan Self
    4

  • Powers
    Ursula Le Guin
    4

  • Anila's Journey
    Mary Finn
    4

  • Alis
    Naomi Rich
    3

  • Wall
    Ellen Phethean
    3

  • The Stone Testament
    Celia Rees
    3

  • Blue Sky Freedom
    Gaby Halberslam
    2

Books About Children's Books

  • Play Pen: New Children's Book Illustration ¦ Sometimes I Think, Sometimes I Am
    Martin Salisbury
    5

BfK News

JASBINDER BILAN WINS COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD WITH HER DEBUT NOVEL

Jasbinder Bilan

read more...
COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2019: SHORTLIST FEATURES

Former Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman and acclaimed author Jenny Downham are on the shortlist for the 2019 Costa Children’s Book Award alongside newcomers Jasbinder Bilan and Nicholas Downing.

Costa Book Awards logo

Click the links below to read new Books for Keeps feature articles on each of the shortlisted authors.

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THE IBBY LIST OF OUSTANDING BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Dr Rebecca Butler writes.

Readers of Books for Keeps will remember that IBBY (the International Board on Books for Young People) arranges every two years a competition to identify the very best books for young readers featuring disability or designed to be read by young people with disabilities. Last time this list was compiled in 2017/18 I was the coordinator for the UK section.

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ALASTAIR HUMPHREYS’ GREAT ADVENTURERS WINS THE 2019 EDUCATIONAL WRITERS’ AWARD

The winner of the 2019 Educational Writers’ Award is Alastair Humphreys’ Great Adventurers: The Incredible Expeditions of 20 Explorers (Big Picture Press).

Alastair Humphreys Great Adventures

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BLACKMAN AND DOWNHAM ON SHORTLIST FOR 2019 COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD

Former Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman and acclaimed author Jenny Downham are on the shortlist for the 2019 Costa Children’s Book Award, which was announced today, 26th November 2020. Alongside them on the list are newcomers Jasbinder Bilan and Nicholas Downing, both of whom are published by Chicken House.

The 2019 Costa Children’s Award shortlist

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2019 ALCS EDUCATIONAL WRITERS’ AWARD SHORTLIST

Shortlist announced for the UK’s only award for creative educational writing

The Society of Authors and the Authors’ Licensing& Collecting Society have announced the shortlist for the 2019 ALCS Educational Writers’ Award, the UK’s only award for educational writing which stimulates and enhances the learning experience.

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‘INSPIRING’: CONTENDERS FOR THE 2020 BLUE PETER BOOK AWARDS REVEALED

Blue Peter Book Award logo

Six books have made it onto the shortlists for the 2020 Blue Peter Book Awards. There are two categories: Best Story, and – in non-fiction November – Best Book with Facts.

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NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2020 CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

And we’re off… the nominations for the 2020 Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals are announced today, Monday 4th November.

read more...
2020 UKLA BOOK AWARDS THE LONGLISTS

UKLA Awards

A record number of submissions and a new category to highlight information books marks the 12th longlists for the UKLA Awards, the only national awards judged by active classroom teachers.

read more...
JESSICA LOVE NAMED WINNER OF THE KLAUS FLUGGE PRIZE 2019 FOR JULIAN IS A MERMAID

Jessica Love

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