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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...

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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

‘INSPIRING’: CONTENDERS FOR THE 2020 BLUE PETER BOOK AWARDS REVEALED

Blue Peter Book Award logo

Six books have made it onto the shortlists for the 2020 Blue Peter Book Awards. There are two categories: Best Story, and – in non-fiction November – Best Book with Facts.

read more...
NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2020 CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

And we’re off… the nominations for the 2020 Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals are announced today, Monday 4th November.

read more...
2020 UKLA BOOK AWARDS THE LONGLISTS

UKLA Awards

A record number of submissions and a new category to highlight information books marks the 12th longlists for the UKLA Awards, the only national awards judged by active classroom teachers.

read more...
JESSICA LOVE NAMED WINNER OF THE KLAUS FLUGGE PRIZE 2019 FOR JULIAN IS A MERMAID

Jessica Love

read more...
LOLLIES 2020 SHORTLIST THE YEAR’S FUNNIEST CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Michael Rosen, children’s novelist, poet and former Children’s Laureate, has announced the shortlist for the 2020 Laugh Out Loud Awards (The Lollies), the awards that celebrate the funniest children’s books.

Lollies logo

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HOOD, RUNDELL AND REYNOLDS UKLA BOOK AWARD WINNERS 2019

Morag Hood, Katherine Rundell and Jason Reynolds have been announced as the winners of the UKLA Book Awards 2019 for I Am Bat, The Explorer and Long Way Down respectively.

read more...
CATHERINE JOHNSON WINS LITTLE REBELS CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD

The Alliance of Radical Booksellers (ARB) is delighted to announce that the winner of this year’s Little Rebels Children’s Book Award for Radical Fiction is Catherine Johnson for her book, Freedom (Scholastic 2018).

Catherine Johnsonn photo Andy Donohoe

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CRESSIDA COWELL ANNOUNCED AS NEW WATERSTONES CHILDREN’S LAUREATE

‘Books are transformative because of their unique ability to develop three key magical powers: intelligence, creativity and, most important of all, empathy. Words are power; let’s take magic seriously.’ Cressida Cowell, Waterstones Children’s Laureate

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STEVEN CAMDEN WINS CLiPPA 2019

Steven Camden photo by Ellie Kurttz

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SLA School Librarian of the Year 2019 Announced

Ros Harding School Librarian of the Year

Ros Harding of The King’s School Chester has been awarded the honour of the School Librarian of the Year 2019. 2019 YA Book Prize winner Sara Barnard presented Ros Harding with her award at a special ceremony at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Kensington, London Kensington on 27 June.

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