Books for Keeps 235 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 235 - March 2019

This issue’s cover illustration features The Curious Science Quest series by Julia Golding with Andrew Briggs and Roger Wagner, illustrated by Brett Hudson. Thanks to Lion Children’s Books for their help with this March cover.
Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 235 March 2019.

BfK No. 235 Articles

Editorial 235

Guest Editorial by former Waterstones Children’s Laureate Anne Fine

EmpathyLab 2019

An update from EmpathyLab founder Miranda McKearney

The LGBTQI+ Novel Comes Of Age

Michael Lee Richardson celebrates the best new writing for young LGBTQI+ readers.

Authorgraph 235: Julia Golding

Julia Golding interviewed by Imogen Russell Williams

Twenty-Seven of the Best: A Personal Reading Journey

Daniel Hahn takes a personal reading journey round Europe

Windows into Illustration: Laura Hughes

Laura Hughes

Beyond the Secret Garden Protest and the British Children’s Book

Darren Chetty and Karen Sands-O’Connor find rebellion and riot in children’s literature.

I Wish I’d Written: Matt Brown

Matt Brown chooses

Good Reads 235

Chosen by Cannon Park Primary School, Coventry

Two Children Tell: Rebecca and Nicholas recognise an illustrator’s style

Rebecca and Nicholas and Lucy and Tom

Happy Anniversary to The Blue Balloon

Mick Inpen is celebrating!

Classics in Short No. 134 The strange fate of Rip Van Winkle

Brian Alderson contemplates Rip Van Winkle’s unlucky encounter with the fairies.

AN INTERVIEW WITH DANNY WALLACE

Comedian Danny Wallace explains why Brexit helped inspire the ultimate threat in his brand new book.

A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH NADINE WILD-PALMER

The author Nadine Wild-Palmer answers our questions on her debut children's novel, The Tunnels Below.

Editor's Choice

Wisp: A Story of Hope

Zana Fraillon

(Orchard Books)

Idris’s home is surrounded by barbed wire, a place where people have retreated into themselves. When the Wisp arrives, blown in on the wind, it is only Idris who sees it and feels its need - a need to unlock the memories of the people who have...

Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties

Humza Arshad

Henry White

(Puffin)

Humza Khan is a 12-year-old ninja-rapper-gangster with huge plans for his future. Unfortunately, he also suffers from debilitating stage fright and has the ‘greatest cricket coach Pakistan has ever known’ for a father, which means that his...

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

Under 5s

The Truth About Old People

Elina Ellis

4
Aalfred and Aalbert

Morag Hood

4
The Green Giant

Katie Cottle

4
All the Ways to be Smart

Davina Bell

4
Bear Moves

Ben Bailey Smith

4
Rosie is my Best Friend

Ali Pye

4
Me and My Sister

Rose Robbins

4
Maisie’s Scrapbook

Samuel Narh

4

Ages 5-8

Wisp: A Story of Hope

Zana Fraillon

5
Two Sides

Polly Ho-Yen

5
Goldilocks (A Hashtag Cautionary Tale)

Jeanne Willis

5
Harold Snipperpot’s Best Disaster Ever

Beatrice Alemagna

4
Mummy’s Suitcase

Pip Jones

4
Me and My Sister

Rose Robbins

4
Maisie’s Scrapbook

Samuel Narh

4
Wishing for a Dragon

Becky Cameron

4
The Dinosaur Department Store

Lily Murray
Richard Merrit

3
Little Rabbit’s Big Surprise

Swapna Haddow

3

Ages 8-10

The Midnight Hour

Benjamin Read
Laura Trinder

5
The Steam Whistle Theatre Company

Vivian French

5
Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties

Humza Arshad
Henry White

5
The Day I Was Erased

Lisa Thompson

4
When We Were Warriors

Emma Carroll

4
The Boy Who Flew

Fleur Hitchcock

4

Ages 10-14

The Midnight Hour

Benjamin Read
Laura Trinder

5
Now or Never-a Dunkirk Story

Bali Rai

5
Ghost

Jason Reynolds

4
Girl 38 Finding a Friend

Ewa Jozefkowicz

4
She Wolf

Dan Smith

3
Halo Moon

Sharon Cohen

3

Ages 14+

Shadowscent: The Darkest Bloom

P.M. Freestone

5
Proud

Various Authors

5
Joe Quinn’s Poltergeist

David Almond

5
Tales from the Inner City

Shaun Tan

5
Outside

Sarah Ann Juckes

4
All the Invisible Things

Orlagh Collins

4

BfK News

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

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, 26^th 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

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.

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.

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

2020 UKLA BOOK AWARDS THE LONGLISTS

UKLA Awards

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

Jessica Love

Michael Rosen, children’s novelist, poet and former Children’s Laureate, has announced the shortlist for the 2020 Laugh Out Loud Awards (The Lollies), the awards that celebrate the funniest children’s books.

Lollies logo

Morag Hood, Katherine Rundell and Jason Reynolds have been announced as the winners of the UKLA Book Awards 2019 for I Am Bat, The Explorer and Long Way Down respectively.

The Alliance of Radical Booksellers (ARB) is delighted to announce that the winner of this year’s Little Rebels Children’s Book Award for Radical Fiction is Catherine Johnson for her book, Freedom (Scholastic 2018).

Catherine Johnsonn photo Andy Donohoe

Books for Keeps 235 - the children's book magazine online

Digital version – browse, print or download

BfK Newsletter

BfK No. 235 Articles

Editor's Choice

Wisp: A Story of Hope

New Talent

Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 235

Under 5s

The Truth About Old People

Aalfred and Aalbert

The Green Giant

All the Ways to be Smart

Bear Moves

Rosie is my Best Friend

Me and My Sister

Maisie’s Scrapbook

Ages 5-8

Wisp: A Story of Hope

Two Sides

Goldilocks (A Hashtag Cautionary Tale)

Harold Snipperpot’s Best Disaster Ever

Mummy’s Suitcase

Me and My Sister

Maisie’s Scrapbook

Wishing for a Dragon

The Dinosaur Department Store

Little Rabbit’s Big Surprise

Ages 8-10

The Midnight Hour

The Steam Whistle Theatre Company

Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties

The Day I Was Erased

When We Were Warriors

The Boy Who Flew

Ages 10-14

The Midnight Hour

Now or Never-a Dunkirk Story

Ghost

Girl 38 Finding a Friend

She Wolf

Halo Moon

Ages 14+

Shadowscent: The Darkest Bloom

Proud

Joe Quinn’s Poltergeist

Tales from the Inner City

Outside

All the Invisible Things

BfK News