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Books for Keeps 238 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 238 - September 2019
BfK 238 September 2019

This issue’s cover illustration is from Cookie and the Most Annoying Boy in the World written and illustrated by Konnie Huq. Thanks to Piccadilly Press for their help with this September cover.
Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 238 September 2019 .

BfK No. 238 Articles

The Books for Keeps Christmas Books Gift List 2019

In one list, all the books we receommend for giving 2019
Guest Editorial Jill Coleman of BookTrust

Jill Coleman of BookTrust introduces BookTrust Represents
The Unsung Art of Reading Aloud

Clare Pollard stands up for the unsung art of reading aloud
Reflecting Realities – one year on

Louise Johns-Shepherd reviews CLPE's survey of ethnic representation one year after publication
Ten of the Best: Books for Coping with Anxiety

Chosen by Beth Cox and Natalie Costa
Authorgraph 238: Robert Muchamore

Robert Muchamore, up close and personal: interview by Damian Kelleher
Windows into Illustration: Grahame Baker Smith

Windows into Illustration: Grahame Baker-Smith

Taking lessons from Miss Stretchberry: poetry writing with children

Poetry writing caught not taught
Beyond the Secret Garden: Animal Fables and Dehumanization

An examination of the use of animals in children’s stories about racial and cultural diversity
I Wish I’d Written: Laura Wood Chooses Her Favourite Comfort Read

Laura Wood chooses
Good Reads 238

Chosen by chosen by pupils at The King’s School, Chester
… We All Fall Down

Sally Nicholls worries we’ve forgotten about the plague
What I think about when I think about Roald Dahl

Matt Brown explains what Roald Dahl means to him
Pictures Mean Business

Sarah McIntyre tells us why Pictures Mean Business
Classics in Short No 137: Uncle Tom’s Cabin

The origins of Uncle Tom’s Cabin
AN INTERVIEW WITH PAUL JENNINGS

The much-loved Australian author interviewed
A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH SARA TROFA

Sara Trofa answers our questions on her book Taxi Ride with Victor
A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH SIBÉAL POUNDER

Sibéal Pounder is inspired by an Eva Ibbotson classic.
AN INTERVIEW WITH EMMA CARROLL

A girl born lucky, a terrifying tsunami, and a terrifying witch-hunt
A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH PIP JONES AND SARA OGILVIE

Pip Jones and Sara Ogilvie introduce Izzy Gizmo
THE PEARL IN THE ICE A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH CATHRYN CONSTABLE

The author of The Wolf Princess and The White Tower discusses her latest book.

Editor's Choice

Moonstruck!: Poems About Our Moon
Roger Stevens
Ed Boxall
(Otter-Barry Books Ltd)
4

It is always a treat to have a new anthology from Roger Stevens. This collection certainly does not disappoint. Taking inspiration from the celebrations around the first moon landing fifty years ago, Roger has gathered together work from a galaxy...

read more

New Talent

The Magic Place
Chris Wormell
(David Fickling Books)
5

Clementine has never seen the outside world. She is kept shut up inside No 10 Blackstone Street, home to her aunt and uncle. When not locked in her cellar room, she must clean and tidy for them. Her only companion (when he feels like it) is the...

read more

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 238

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

Under 5s

  • My Friends
    Max Low
    5

  • Red Red Red
    Polly Dunbar
    5

  • Together We Can
    Caryl Hart
    4

  • Who's Going To Bed?
    Abie Longstaff
    4

  • Harry In A Hurry
    Timothy Knapman
    Gemma Merino
    4

  • Mr Scruff
    Simon James
    4

  • The Rabbit Listened
    Cori Doerrfeld
    4

  • Fergal in a Fix!
    Robert Starling
    4

  • Pick A Pumpkin
    Jarvis
    Patricia Toht
    3

Ages 5-8

  • Quill Soup
    Alan Durant
    Dale Blankenaar
    5

  • Small In The City
    Sydney Smith
    5

  • Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Put Astronauts on the Moon
    Helaine Becker
    Dow Phumiruk
    5

  • Uki and the Outcasts
    Kieran Larwood
    David Wyatt
    Fernando Jaurez
    5

  • Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue
    Paula Harrison
    4

  • Dave and the Tooth Fairy
    Verna Wilkins
    Carl Pearce
    4

  • The Bug Collector
    Alex G Griffiths
    4

  • Bear Out There
    Jacob Grant
    4

  • I Really Want to Win
    Simon Philip
    Lucia Gaggiotti
    4

  • Life On Mars
    John Agee
    4

  • Free
    Sam Usher
    4

  • Sam Wu Is NOT Afraid Of Spiders
    Nathan Reed
    Kevin Tsang
    Katie Tsang
    4

  • A Boy's Best Friend
    Nicola Davies
    Cathy Fisher
    4

  • Clem And Crab
    Fiona Lumbers
    4

  • Look Up!
    Nathan Bryon
    Dapa Adeola
    4

  • The Misadventures Of Frederick
    Emma Chichester Clark
    Ben Manley
    4

  • Everyone Can Draw
    Fifi Kuo
    3

Ages 8-10

  • The Magic Place
    Chris Wormell
    5

  • Lori and Max
    Catherine O Flynn
    5

  • Moonstruck!: Poems About Our Moon
    Roger Stevens
    Ed Boxall
    4

  • What's That In Dog Years?
    Julia Christians
    Ben Davis
    4

  • Ariki and the Island of Wonders
    Nicola Davies
    Nicola Kinnear
    4

  • Stretch Your Confidence, Discover What You Can Do!
    Vicky Barker
    Beth Cox
    4

  • My Family And Other Ghosts
    Lou Kuenzler
    3

  • The International Yeti Collective
    Paul Mason
    Katy Riddell
    3

  • The Extraordinary Life of Neil Armstrong
    Martin Howard
    Freda Chiu
    1

Ages 10-14

  • The Tzar's Curious Runaways
    Robin Scott-Elliot
    5

  • Top Marks for Murder
    Robin Stevens
    5

  • Where the River Runs Gold
    Sita Brahmachari
    5

  • Blast Off To the Moon!
    Ralph Timberlake
    5

  • The Girl with Space in Her Heart
    Lara Williamson
    5

  • A Pocketful of Stars
    Aisha Bushby
    4

  • Patina
    Jason Reynolds
    4

  • Gloves Off
    Louisa Reid
    4

  • The Bad Luck Lighthouse
    Nicki Thornton
    4

  • Max Kowalski Didn't Mean It
    Susie Day
    4

  • The Switching Hour
    Damaris Young
    4

  • Wolf Light
    Yaba Badoe
    4

  • Flember: The Secret Book
    Jamie Smart
    4

  • The Space We're In
    Laura Carlin
    Katya Balen
    4

  • Inchtinn: Island of Shadows
    Danny Weston
    Miranda Harris
    4

  • Fire Girl, Forest Boy
    Chloe Daykin
    4

  • The Wind in the Wall
    Sally Gardner
    Rovina Cai
    3

Ages 14+

  • The Wishing Bones
    Michelle Lovric
    5

  • Chinglish
    Sue Cheung
    5

  • Snowflake AZ
    Marcus Sedgwick
    4

  • What Magic Is This?
    Holly Bourne
    4

  • Heartstream
    Tom Pollock
    4

  • Furious Thing
    Jenny Downham
    4

  • Charcoal Boys
    Roger Mello
    Daniel Hahn
    4

  • Patron Saints of Nothing
    Randy Ribay
    4

  • We Hunt the Flame
    Hafsah Faizal
    3

  • I Hold Your Heart
    Karen Gregory
    3

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.’

read more...
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.

read more...
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.

read more...
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

read more...
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.

read more...
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

read more...
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.

read more...
TOM PALMER WINS THE CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2020

Tom Palmer

read more...
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