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Books for Keeps 173 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 173 - November 2008

Cover story
This issue’s cover illustration by Ralph Steadman is from Garibaldi’s Biscuits published this month by Andersen Press (978 1 84270 860 6, £10.99 hbk). Ralph Steadman is interviewed by Martin Salisbury. Thanks to Andersen Press for their help with this November cover.

BfK No. 173 Articles

Editorial - November 2008

News and comment from the Editor.
Sounding Off! Some noisy picture books

Jill Bennett on picture books with phonic elements.
Philippa Pearce – Word Perfect

Victor Watson analyses Philippa Pearce’s use of words.
Ten of the Best Christmas Books

Rosemary Stones chooses books with a Christmas theme.
Authorgraph No.173: Ralph Steadman

Ralph Steadman interviewed by Martin Salisbury.
Laureate Log - November 2008

Michael Rosen reports on his Laureate projects.
Hal’s Reading Diary – November 2008

Roger Mills is making up stories for Hal.
I Wish I’d Written… Moominland Midwinter

Jenny Downham chooses Tove Jansson’s Moominland Midwinter.
Good Reads: Shavington High School

Reviews from pupils of Shavington High School, Crewe.
Classics in Short No.72: Mog the Forgetful Cat

Brian Alderson on Judith Kerr’s Mog the Forgetful Cat.

Editor's Choice

Jackdaw Summer
David Almond
(Hodder Children's Books)
5

‘Plese look after her rite. This is a childe of god’ reads the note attached to the blanket wrapped round the abandoned baby. Has she really been saved by the jackdaw that seemed to be leading Max and Liam to her? Liam’s novelist father used to...

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New Talent

Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles
Rupert Kingfisher
(Bloomsbury Publishing PLC)
4

Every summer Madeleine is sent to stay with her bullying uncle Monsieur Lard, one of the worst chefs in Paris, and set to washing up endless dishes in the kitchens of his restaurant, the Squealing Pig. It is on an errand to buy pâté that she...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 173

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

Under 5s

  • Traction Man meets Turbo Dog
    Mini Grey
    5

  • How to Heal a Broken Wing
    Bob Graham
    5

  • Mrs Muffly's Monster
    Sarah Dyer
    4

  • Are the Clothes Clean?; What's in the Fridge?
    Gaby Goldsack
    4

  • Charlie is My Darling
    Malachy Doyle
    4

  • What's That Noise, Mr Croc?
    Jo Lodge
    4

  • Dogfish
    Gillian Shields
    4

  • Tuck Your Vest In
    Daniel Morden
    3

  • Oodles of Noodles
    Diana Hendry
    3

  • Daddy's Lullaby
    Tony Bradman
    3

  • Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
    3

  • Little by Little
    Amber Stewart
    3

  • Kisses Are Yuk!
    Julia Jarman
    3

Ages 5-8

  • ABC UK
    James Dunn
    5

  • Little Beauty
    Anthony Browne
    4

  • Martha in the Middle
    Jan Fearnley
    4

  • Take a Flight
    Peter Kent
    4

  • Scratch Kitten Goes to Sea; Scratch Kitten on the Pirate's Shoulder
    Jessica Green
    4

  • My Friend Is Sad; There Is a Bird on Your Head!; I Am Invited to a Party!; Today I Will Fly!
    Mo Willems
    4

  • Tom's Clockwork Dragon
    Jonathan Emmett
    4

  • Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles
    Rupert Kingfisher
    4

  • Spells
    Emily Gravett
    4

  • Mystery Pups: Dognapped!; Mystery Pups: Framed!
    Jodie Mellor
    3

  • Inside Your Outside!; If I Ran the Rainforest
    Tish Rabe
    3

  • The Ship's Kitten
    Matilda Webb
    3

  • Wow! 366: Speedy stories in just 366 words
    3

  • Animal Families
    Lorrie Mack
    2

  • Farmer Joe and the Music Show
    1

Ages 8-10

  • Boy, Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs!
    Kathleen V Kudlinski
    5

  • Tales of Terror from the Black Ship
    Chris Priestley
    5

  • The Toymaker
    Jeremy De Quidt
    5

  • Our World of Water
    Beatrice Hollyer
    5

  • The Cat Who Liked Rain
    Henning Mankell
    4

  • The Colossal Book of Costumes
    Joëlle Jolivet
    4

  • You Love Judy Fuller
    John Bartholomew
    3

  • Spellbound
    Anna Dale
    3

  • Olaf the Viking
    Martin Conway
    3

  • Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox
    Eoin Colfer
    2

  • Castlecliff
    Elizabeth Pulford
    2

Ages 10-14

  • World War II: the events and their impact on real people
    Reg Grant
    5

  • The Young Inferno
    John Agard
    5

  • The Lion Encyclopedia of World Religions
    David Self
    4

  • Silvertongue
    Charlie Fletcher
    4

  • The Robber Baron's Daughter
    Jamila Gavin
    4

  • The Resistance
    Gemma Malley
    4

  • Spray
    Harry Edge
    4

  • The Ancient Egyptians
    Angela Mcdonald
    3

  • Last Battle of the Icemark
    Stuart Hill
    3

  • The Demon Assassin
    Alan Gibbons
    3

  • The Goldsmith's Daughter
    Tanya Landman
    3

  • The Scribes from Alexandria
    Caroline Lawrence
    3

  • The Mark of Edain
    Pauline Chandler
    3

  • Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party
    Ying Chang Compestine
    3

  • Road to War
    Valerie Wilding
    3

  • A Beautiful Place for a Murder
    Berlie Doherty
    3

  • Love-Struck
    Rachael Wing
    3

  • Love, Stargirl
    Jerry Spinelli
    2

  • Oath Breaker
    Michelle Paver
    2

  • The Hunter and The Hunted
    Al Wilde
    2

  • Last Kiss of the Butterfly
    Jill Hucklesby
    1

Ages 14+

  • Jackdaw Summer
    David Almond
    5

  • Bloodchild
    Tim Bowler
    4

  • The Trap
    Sarah Wray
    4

  • Cathy's Key
    Sean Stewart
    Joran Weisman
    4

  • City of Screams
    John Brindley
    4

  • Sold
    Patricia McCormick
    3

  • Outside Beauty
    Cynthia Kadohata
    3

  • Scarlet
    Stephen R Lawhead
    3

  • Ink Exchange
    Melissa Marr
    3

  • Possessing Rayne
    Kate Cann
    3

  • Out of My Depth
    Helen Bailey
    2

Books About Children's Books

  • The Family in English Children's Literature
    Ann Alston
    4

  • British Children's Fiction in the Second World War
    Owen Dudley Edwards
    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.’

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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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