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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

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.’

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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TOM PALMER WINS THE CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2020

Tom Palmer

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