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Books for Keeps 237 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 237 - July 2019
BfK 237 July 2019

This issue’s cover illustration is from Grumpycorn by Sarah McIntyre, designed by Strawberrie Donnelly. Thanks to Scholastic UK for their help with this July cover.
Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 237 July 2019.

BfK No. 237 Articles

Guest editorial by Sian Williams of the Children’s Bookshow

Guest Editorial by Children’s Bookshow founder Sian Williams
Cressida Cowell Children’s Laureate 2019 – 2021

The new Children’s Laureate Cressida Cowell shares her plans with Nicholas Tucker
A Rich Alchemy: Jake Hope interviews with Kate Greenaway Medal winner Jackie Morris.

Kate Greenaway winner Jackie Morris interviewed by Jake Hope
Ten of the Best: Books about the Moon

Ten of the Best: Ann Lazim of CLPE goes moongazing
Authorgraph 237: Adam Stower

Adam Stower interviewed by Michelle Pauli
Windows into Illustration: Sarah McIntyre

Windows into Illustration: our cover artist Sarah McIntyre

20 years of Summer Reading Fun

Anne Sarrag looks back over 20 years of the Summer Reading Challenge
And the CLiPPA goes to …

Steven Camden, aka Polarbear, interviewed by Charlotte Hacking
Beyond the Secret Garden: Outside, Over There

Outside, Over There – diversity and prizes

The World Needs More Empathy

A report on Empathy Day 2019 by those involved
I Wish I’d Written: Rob Biddulph chooses a picture book classic.

Rob Biddulph chooses
Good Reads 237

Good Reads chosen by chosen by pupils at Wycombe Abbey, Buckinghamshire
Classics in Short No 136: Poor Huggermuggers, Gone Before their Time

Huggermuggers remembered
AN INTERVIEW WITH KATE HINDLEY

A trip down Treacle Street with author Kate Hindley
AN INTERVIEW WITH KONNIE HUQ

Konnie Huq introduces Cookie, star of her new series
Good Strong Women: Malory Towers on Stage

Rebecca Butler reviews the new musical version of her favourite series.
A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH PAULA HARRISON

Paula Harrison introduces her new character, Kitty.

Editor's Choice

Migrations: Open Hearts Open Borders
Various Authors
(Otter-Barry Books)
5

To migrate – to move from one place to another in response to adverse or seasonal conditions; animals and birds migrate in rhythm with their environment and across history human beings have migrated from once place to another in search of a...

read more

New Talent

The Secret Starling
Judith Eagle
Kim Geyer
(Faber & Faber)
4

Clara is alone. Her home a dilapidated mansion on the Yorkshire Moors, her life governed by the rules of her Uncle. Then her Uncle abandons her. For the first time Clara experiences freedom - and when Peter turns up on the doorstep, friendship....

read more

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 237

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

Under 5s

  • B is for Baby
    Atinuke
    5

  • Alphonse, There's Mud on the Ceiling!
    Daisy Hirst
    5

  • Amazing
    Steve Antony
    5

  • Astro Girl
    Ken Wilson-Max
    4

  • The Light in the Night
    Marie Voigt
    4

  • I Don't Want to Be Small
    Laura Ellen Anderson
    4

  • Umbrella
    Elena Arevalo Melville
    4

  • How to Be on the Moon
    Viviane Schwarz
    4

  • Marcel's Parcels
    Kate Hindley
    4

  • Humperdink Our Elephant Friend
    Sean Taylor
    Claire Alexander
    3

Ages 5-8

  • Mighty Min
    Melissa Castrillõn
    5

  • Nell & the Circus of Dreams
    Nell Gifford
    Briony May Smith
    5

  • Hummingbird
    Nicola Davies
    5

  • The Suitcase
    Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
    5

  • Joseph's Cradle
    Jude Daly
    5

  • The Missing Bookshop
    Katie Clapham
    Kirsti Beautyman
    5

  • Brian the Brave
    Paul Stewart
    Jane Porter
    5

  • Where is Your Sister?
    Puck Koper
    4

  • Me and Mrs Moon
    Helen Bate
    4

  • The Climbers
    Ali Standish
    Alette Straathof
    4

  • The Sleeping Giant
    Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
    4

  • The Runaway Pea
    Kjartan Poskitt
    Alex Willmore
    4

  • The Way to Treasure Island
    Lizzy Stewart
    4

  • Stefano the Squid Hero of the Deep
    Wendy Meddour
    Duncan Beedie
    4

  • Why Are There So Many Books About Bears?
    Kristina Stephenson
    3

  • The Happy Lion
    Louise Fatio
    Roger Duvoisin
    2

Ages 8-10

  • Diver's Daughter: A Tudor Story
    Patrice Lawrence
    5

  • The Phoenix of Persia
    Sally Pomme Clayton
    Amin Hassanzedeh Sharif
    5

  • I Have an Idea!
    Hervé Tulley
    5

  • The Butterfly Circus
    Francesca Armour-Chelu
    4

  • The Secret Starling
    Judith Eagle
    Kim Geyer
    4

  • Boot: Small Robot, Big Adventure
    Shane Hegarty
    Ben Mantle
    4

  • The Butterfly House
    Katy Flint
    Alice Patullo
    4

  • Evie and the Animals
    Matt Haig
    Emily Gravett
    4

  • The Dragon in the Library
    Louie Stowell
    David Ortu
    3

  • Milton the Mighty: the Teeniest Superhero
    Emma Read
    2

Ages 10-14

  • Runaway Robot
    Frank Cottrell Boyce
    5

  • Migrations: Open Hearts Open Borders
    Various Authors
    5

  • The Dog Runner
    Bren MacDibble
    4

  • The Butterfly Circus
    Francesca Armour-Chelu
    4

  • Lily and the Rockets
    Rebecca Stevens
    4

  • Secret Suffragette
    Barbara Mitchelhill
    4

  • The Garden of Lost Secrets
    A. M. Howell
    4

  • The Last Spell Breather
    Julie Pike
    4

  • Tulip Taylor
    Anna Mainwaring
    4

  • Malamander
    Thomas Taylor
    4

  • Lampie and the Children of the Sea
    Laura Watkinson
    Annet Schaap
    4

  • Good Boy
    Mal Peet
    Emma Shoard
    4

  • The House of Light
    Julia Green
    4

  • One Shot
    Tanya Landman
    4

  • Jemima Small Versus the Universe
    Tamsin Winter
    4

  • D-Day
    Michael Noble
    Alexander Mostov
    3

  • High Rise Mystery
    Sharna Jackson
    3

  • The Good Thieves
    Katherine Rundell
    2

Ages 14+

  • We Are Blood and Thunder
    Kesia Lupo
    5

  • What's a Girl Gotta Do?
    Holly Bourne
    5

  • Meat Market
    Juno Dawson
    5

  • Under a Dancing Star
    Laura Wood
    4

  • The Starlight Watchmaker
    Lauren James
    4

  • I Will Not Be Erased
    gal-dem
    4

  • Catching Teller Crow
    Ambelin Kwaymullina
    Ezekiel Kwaymullina
    4

  • All the Things We Never Said
    Yasmin Rahman
    4

  • Beauty Sleep
    Kathryn Evans
    3

BfK News

LONGLIST FOR THE 2021 BRANFORD BOASE AWARD

The longlist for the 2021 Branford Boase Award has been announced. Set up in memory of award-winning author Henrietta Branford and her editor Wendy Boase, one of the founders of Walker Books, the Branford Boase Award is given annually to the author of an outstanding debut novel for children.

read more...
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)

read more...
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...
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