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Books for Keeps 207 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 207 - July 2014
BFK 207 July 2014

This issue’s cover illustration is from Elmer’s Weather by David McKee. Thanks to Andersen Press 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 207 July 2014 .

BfK No. 207 Articles

Editorial 207

Comment from the Editor.
Kevin Brooks, winner of the 2014 CILIP Carnegie Medal

Kevin Brooks interviewed by Nicholas Tucker
How the King’s Scout Fared in the Great War

Geoff Fox on texts for children published during the Great War.
Windows into Illustration: Steve Antony

Steve Antony on The Queen's Hat
Ten of the Best: Holiday Reads for Summer 2014

Holiday reads for summer chosen by Marilyn Brocklehurst.
Authorgraph number 207: David McKee

David McKee interviewed by Clive Barnes.
Two Children Tell: The Moomins, Rebecca and Nicholas

by Virginia Lowe
Bunker Mentality

The controversy around Kevin Brook's Carnegie winner analysed.
CHILDREN’S COMICS FOR A NEW GENERATION OF READERS

by Hannah Sackett
Good Reads chosen by Widcombe Junior School Comic Club

Readers in the Comic Club choose.
Books for Keeps Brilliant Libraries: Hull City Libraries

June Lightfoot and Christine Hill of Hull City Council library services on their plans for the 2014 Summer Reading Challenge.
Briefing 207

Obituary, awards
I Wish I'd Written: Natasha Farrant chooses

Natasha Farrant on the book that is 'everything she wishes she'd written'.
Reading for Meaning

Sue Unstead takes a look at a new non-fiction based reading scheme from Dorling Kindersley.
Classics in Short Number 106: The Camels are Coming

The Camels are Coming by W.E. Johns
AN INTERVIEW WITH LEIGH BARDUGO

The author of the Grisha series on why she loves writing fantasy.
Q&A with Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith

Hoffman and Asquith answer questions on their new book Welcome to the Family.
A Silver lining: Hodder Children’s Books’ new digital list

Introduced by editor Jon Appleton.

Editor's Choice

Shackleton's Journey
William Grill
(Flying Eye Books)
4

Recently Scott and his heroic but tragic attempt to reach the South Pole has been very much revisited and is a familiar story even to the young. Shackleton's attempt to cross the Antarctic continent is, perhaps, less well known. Here, the author...

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New Talent

The Savage Kingdom
Simon David Eden
(Simon & Schuster Childrens Books)
4

Just imagine what would happen if the animals of the world finally lost their patience with mankind, and were driven to take direct action against us because of the terrible damage we’ve been wreaking on the natural world. Just imagine if they...

read more

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 207

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

Under 5s

  • The Mouse who Ate the Moon: A Peep-through Story Book
    Petr Horácek
    5

  • Tiny: The Invisible World of Microbes
    Nicola Davies
    5

  • Light – Fingered Larry
    Jan Fearnley
    5

  • Hot Dog, Cold Dog
    Frann Preston-Gannon
    4

  • Max the Brave
    Ed Vere
    4

  • Betsy Makes A Splash!
    Helen Stephens
    4

  • Mr Super Poopy Pants
    Rebecca Elliott
    4

  • Stop Sticking Stan!
    Nicola Killen
    4

  • The Hueys in None the Number
    Oliver Jeffers
    4

  • Zeki Loves Baby Club
    Anna McQuinn
    4

  • Marshmallows for Martians
    Adam Guillain
    Charlotte Guillain
    4

Ages 5-8

  • Chicken Clicking
    Jeanne Willis
    5

  • My Teacher is a Monster! (No, I Am Not)
    Peter Brown
    5

  • Matthew’s Dream
    Leo Lionni
    5

  • Wendy Quill is Full Up of Wrong
    Wendy Meddour
    4

  • Foxy Tales: The Road to Fame and Fortune
    Caryl Hart
    4

  • I’m a Little Alien
    James Carter
    4

  • Bluebird
    Bob Staake
    4

Ages 8-10

  • The Wild City Book: Loads of things to do outdoors in towns and cities
    Jo Schofield
    Fiona Danks
    5

  • The Duck and the Darklings
    Glenda Millard
    5

  • Real Stories from Street Children Across the World
    Anthony Robinson
    5

  • The Tale of the Tail
    Margaret Mahy
    5

  • The Fastest Boy in the World
    Elizabeth Laird
    5

  • Dragon Shield
    Charlie Fletcher
    4

  • Jumblecat
    Archie Kimpton
    4

  • 50 things you should know about the First World War
    Jim Eldridge
    4

  • Werewolf Club Rules
    Joseph Coelho
    4

  • Buckle and Squash and the Monstrous Moat-Dragon
    Sarah Courtauld
    4

  • Harvey Drew and the Binmen from Outer Space
    Cas Lester
    3

  • Nathalia Buttface and the Most Embarrassing Dad in the World
    Nigel Smith
    3

  • Compton Valance, The Most Powerful Boy in the Universe
    Matt Brown
    3

Ages 10-14

  • The Pilot and the Little Prince: The Life of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
    Peter Sis
    5

  • Bookside Down
    Joanne Limburg
    5

  • Every Second Counts
    Sophie McKenzie
    5

  • The Broken King
    Philip Womack
    4

  • My Brother's Keeper
    Tony Bradman
    Tom Bradman
    4

  • The Savage Kingdom
    Simon David Eden
    4

  • Shackleton's Journey
    William Grill
    4

  • The Letter for the King
    Tonke Dragt
    4

  • The Paupers of Langden
    Julia Draper
    4

  • Summer’s Shadow
    Anna Wilson
    4

  • The Serpent House
    Bea Davenport
    4

  • The Girl who Walked on Air
    Emma Carroll
    4

  • Mouseheart
    Lisa Fiedler
    4

  • The Tornado Chasers
    Ross Montgomery
    4

  • Haunt Dead Scared
    Curtis Jobling
    4

  • Mars Evacuees
    Sophia McDougall
    3

  • The Obsidian Mirror
    Catherine Fisher
    3

Ages 14+

  • I Predict a Riot
    Catherine Bruton
    5

  • Shadow of the Wolf
    Tim Hall
    4

  • Louder than Words
    Laura Jarratt
    4

  • Web of Darkness
    Bali Rai
    4

  • The Devil in the Corner
    Patricia Elliott
    4

  • Breaking Butterflies
    M. Anjelais
    4

  • Don't Even Think About It
    Sarah Mlynowski
    4

  • After editedEllen Datlow
    4

  • We Were Liars
    e. lockhart
    3

  • Riot Sarah Mussi
    Sarah Mussi
    3

  • Rain Virginia Bergin
    Virginia Bergin
    3

  • Adaptation
    Malinda Lo
    3

  • Take Back the Skies
    Lucy Saxon
    2

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.

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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

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.

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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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