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

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Books for Keeps is packed with articles, interviews comment and, of course, reviews.

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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

CRESSIDA COWELL LAUNCHES NEW LAUREATE INITIATIVE IN SUPPORT OF SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND CALLS ON PM TO ACT

‘How can a child become a reader for pleasure if their parents or carers cannot afford books, and their primary school has no library, or that library is woefully insufficient?’

Life-changing Libraries logo

read more...
SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2021 UKLA BOOK AWARDS

UKLA Book Awards logo

read more...
ALL STORIES, A NEW MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME FOR UNDERREPRESENTED CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITERS

A new mentorship scheme for underrepresented authors launches today, 30 March. All Stories offers fourteen mentorships delivered by expert children’s book editors.

All Stories logo

read more...
2021 SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

CKG Logo

The shortlists for the prestigious CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals are announced today, 18 March. The awards are the UK’s oldest for children and young people.

This year’s judges praised their shortlists for ‘offering hope and escapism during lockdown’ through explorations of freedom, the great outdoors and journeys through the natural world.

read more...
INAUGURAL LONGLIST ANNOUNCED FOR THE JHALAK CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULT PRIZE

The Jhalak Prize has announced the longlist for the inaugural Jhalak Children’s & Young Adult Prize.

Jhalak Prize logo

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ONJALI RAÚF BECOMES WRITER IN RESIDENCE FOR BOOKTRUST

Award-winning author and activist, Onjali Raúf takes up the post as the new Writer in Residence for BookTrust, today, International Women’s Day. She takes over from Smriti Halls.

Onjali Q Raúf

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LONGLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2021 CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

The longlist for the 2021 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals have been announced.

CKG Logo

read more...
LONGLIST ANNOUNCED FOR 2021 KLAUS FLUGGE PRIZE

Klaus Flugge Prize logo

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NOW OPEN: 2021 HENRIETTA BRANFORD WRITING COMPETITION

Finish a story started by Branford Boase Award winner Liz Hyder

The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition, the annual competition for young people which runs in conjunction with the Branford Boase Award, is now open.

read more...
TWO UK ENTRIES ON IBBY LIST OF OUTSTANDING BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Every two years, IBBY invites nominations for its international List of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities. Nominations are made by IBBY national sections and the final list is selected from these by the IBBY Documentation Centre of Books for Young People with Disabilities, based in Toronto. Because of its international content, the list is unique in the children’s book world. It is a huge voluntary undertaking as every country is encouraged to submit up to twelve titles across the three categories.

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