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Books for Keeps 221 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 221 - November 2016
BfK 221 November 2106

This issue’s cover illustration is from The White Giraffe series: Operation Rhino by Lauren St John. Thanks to Orion Children’s Books for their help with this cover.
Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 221 November 2016 .

BfK No. 221 Articles

Editorial 221

Comment from the editor
Books for Giving Christmas 2016

Ferelith Hordon makes Christmas shopping easy
Books for Giving 2016: the Book List

Bibliographic details for all the books featured in our Christmas Gift selection
2016 The Books of the Year

Selected by regular contributors to Books for Keeps
Authorgraph 221 Lauren St John

Lauren St John interviewed by Nicholas Tucker
Ten of the Best Books about Refugees

Books about refugees chosen by Fen Coles of Letterbox Library
Jewell Parker Rhodes: a profile

Wendy Meddour profiles inspiring US author Jewell Parker Rhodes
Goodbye Ruby Redfort: an interview with Lauren Child

Lauren Child on the conclusion to her girl detective series
Inside The Chamber of Secrets: an interview with illustrator Jim Kay

An interview with the award-winning illustrator
TWO CHILDREN TELL: CHRISTMAS WITH REBECCA AND NICK

A Christmas special
I Wish I’d Written: Judi Curtin

Judi Curtin chooses
Good Reads 221

selected by pupils at Corby Business Academy
Once upon a storytelling

Author and storyteller Lari Don on the appeal of old stories
AN INTERVIEW WITH COSTA SHORTLISTED AUTHOR BRIAN CONAGHAN

An interview with the Costa shortlisted author
AN INTERVIEW WITH COSTA SHORTLISTED AUTHOR PATRICE LAWRENCE

The Costa shortlisted author interviewed by Anna James
AN INTERVIEW WITH COSTA SHORTLISTED AUTHOR ROSS WELFORD

An interview with the author of Time Travelling with a Hamster
AN INTERVIEW WITH COSTA SHORTLISTED AUTHOR FRANCESCA SIMON

Francesca Simon talks about The Monstrous Child with Anna James.
A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH CATHRYN CONSTABLE

The author talks about her new book The White Tower
Classics in Short No. 120: The Little Bookroom

The Little Bookroom by Eleanor Farjeon

AN INTERVIEW WITH SUSIN NIELSEN

An interview with the award winning author of We are All Made of Molecules
AN INTERVIEW WITH MARIANNE DUBUC

An interview with the award-winning author of The Lion and the Bird

Editor's Choice

The Hypnotist
Laurence Anholt
(Corgi Childrens)
4

It is the 1960s - the time of Martin Luther King and a rise of the Ku Klux Klan. Jack is looking forward to his new position as Head of Neurological Research in southern USA. Pip is trying to adapt to a life as a servant to Zachary and the...

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New Talent

Erica's Elephant
Sylvia Bishop
(Scholastic)
5

When Erica opens the front door to find an elephant on the doorstep, she not only acquires a companion and, yes, a friend, but also a great deal of trouble. An elephant is conspicuous and little girls of ten should not be living by themselves -...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 221

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

Under 5s

  • Goodnight Everyone
    Chris Haughton
    5

  • Plenty of Love to Go Round!
    Emma Chichester Clark
    5

  • The Storm Whale in Winter
    Benji Davies
    5

  • Meltdown
    Jill Murphy
    5

  • Odd Dog Out
    Rob Biddulph
    4

  • Hello, Mr Dodo
    Nicholas John Frith
    4

  • The Night the Stars Went Out
    Suz Hughes
    3

Ages 5-8

  • Erica's Elephant
    Sylvia Bishop
    5

  • Midnight at the Zoo
    Faye Hanson
    5

  • Danny McGee Drinks the Sea
    Andy Stanton
    4

  • Odd Dog Out
    Rob Biddulph
    4

  • The Road Home
    Katie Cotton
    4

  • The Building Boy
    Ross Montgomery
    4

  • The Great Big Body Book
    Mary Hoffman
    4

  • The Dragon’s Hoard
    Lari Don
    4

  • Where is the Bear?
    Camilla De La Bedoyere
    4

  • Ada Twist, Scientist
    Andrea Beaty
    4

  • Ossiri and the Bala Mengro
    Richard O’Neill
    Katharine Quarmby
    4

  • Leafy the Pet Leaf
    Philip Ardagh
    4

  • A Jar of Pickles and a Pinch of Justice
    Chitra Soundar
    3

Ages 8-10

  • Dinosaurs and Dinner Ladies
    John Dougherty
    5

  • The Secret Horses of Briar Hill
    Megan Shepherd
    5

  • They didn't teach THIS in worm school!
    Simone Lia
    5

  • The Road to Ever After
    Moira Young
    4

  • Spellchasers: The Beginner’s Guide to Curses
    Lari Don
    4

  • Martin Brown’s Lesser-Spotted Animals
    Martin Brown
    4

  • Adder, Bluebell, Lobster, Wild Poems
    Chrissie Gittins
    4

  • Podkin One Ear
    Kieran Larwood
    4

  • The Dragon’s Hoard
    Lari Don
    4

  • Finding Black Beauty
    Lou Kuenzler
    4

  • The Ministry of SUITs
    Paul Gamble
    4

Ages 10-14

  • The Secret of Nightingale Wood
    Lucy Strange
    5

  • Master Will and the Spanish Spy
    Tony Bradman
    5

  • Clover Moon
    Jacqueline Wilson
    5

  • There May Be a Castle
    Piers Torday
    4

  • The Road to Ever After
    Moira Young
    4

  • The Call
    Peadar O’ Guilin
    4

  • The Hypnotist
    Laurence Anholt
    4

  • The Ministry of SUITs
    Paul Gamble
    4

  • Scrambled
    Huw Davies
    3

  • A Message to the Sea
    Alex Shearer
    3

Ages 14+

  • Alpha
    Bessora
    5

  • Every Falling Star
    Sungju Lee
    Susan McClelland
    5

  • The Call
    Peadar O’ Guilin
    4

  • Holding Up the Universe
    Jennifer Niven
    4

  • Unboxed
    Non Pratt
    4

  • The Deviants
    C J Skuse
    4

  • Tales of the Peculiar
    Ransom Riggs
    4

  • I’ll Be Home for Christmas
    Various Authors
    4

Books About Children's Books

  • Children's Literature (Readers' Guide to Essential Criticism)
    Pat Pinsent
    2

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

read more...
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

read more...
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.

read more...
‘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.

read more...
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

read more...
LOLLIES 2020 SHORTLIST THE YEAR’S FUNNIEST CHILDREN’S BOOKS

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

read more...
HOOD, RUNDELL AND REYNOLDS UKLA BOOK AWARD WINNERS 2019

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.

read more...
CATHERINE JOHNSON WINS LITTLE REBELS CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD

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

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