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Books for Keeps 235 - the children's book magazine online

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Books for Keeps is packed with articles, interviews comment and, of course, reviews.

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BfK No. 235 - March 2019
BfK 235 March 2019

This issue’s cover illustration features The Curious Science Quest series by Julia Golding with Andrew Briggs and Roger Wagner, illustrated by Brett Hudson. Thanks to Lion Children’s Books for their help with this March cover.
Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 235 March 2019.

BfK No. 235 Articles

Editorial 235

Guest Editorial by former Waterstones Children’s Laureate Anne Fine

EmpathyLab 2019

An update from EmpathyLab founder Miranda McKearney

The LGBTQI+ Novel Comes Of Age

Michael Lee Richardson celebrates the best new writing for young LGBTQI+ readers.

Authorgraph 235: Julia Golding

Julia Golding interviewed by Imogen Russell Williams

Twenty-Seven of the Best: A Personal Reading Journey

Daniel Hahn takes a personal reading journey round Europe

Windows into Illustration: Laura Hughes

Laura Hughes

Beyond the Secret Garden Protest and the British Children’s Book

Darren Chetty and Karen Sands-O’Connor find rebellion and riot in children’s literature.

I Wish I’d Written: Matt Brown

Matt Brown chooses

Good Reads 235

Chosen by Cannon Park Primary School, Coventry

Two Children Tell: Rebecca and Nicholas recognise an illustrator’s style

Rebecca and Nicholas and Lucy and Tom

Happy Anniversary to The Blue Balloon

Mick Inpen is celebrating!

Classics in Short No. 134 The strange fate of Rip Van Winkle

Brian Alderson contemplates Rip Van Winkle’s unlucky encounter with the fairies.

AN INTERVIEW WITH DANNY WALLACE

Comedian Danny Wallace explains why Brexit helped inspire the ultimate threat in his brand new book.

A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH NADINE WILD-PALMER

The author Nadine Wild-Palmer answers our questions on her debut children's novel, The Tunnels Below.

Editor's Choice

Wisp: A Story of Hope

Zana Fraillon
(Orchard Books)
5

Idris’s home is surrounded by barbed wire, a place where people have retreated into themselves. When the Wisp arrives, blown in on the wind, it is only Idris who sees it and feels its need - a need to unlock the memories of the people who have...

read more

New Talent

Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties

Humza Arshad
Henry White
(Puffin)
5

Humza Khan is a 12-year-old ninja-rapper-gangster with huge plans for his future. Unfortunately, he also suffers from debilitating stage fright and has the ‘greatest cricket coach Pakistan has ever known’ for a father, which means that his...

read more

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 235

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

Under 5s

  • The Truth About Old People

    Elina Ellis
    4
  • Aalfred and Aalbert

    Aalfred and Aalbert

    Morag Hood
    4
  • The Green Giant

    The Green Giant

    Katie Cottle
    4
  • All the Ways to Be Smart

    All the Ways to be Smart

    Davina Bell
    4
  • Bear Moves

    Bear Moves

    Ben Bailey Smith
    4
  • Rosie is my Best Friend

    Rosie is my Best Friend

    Ali Pye
    4
  • Me and My Sister

    Rose Robbins
    4
  • Maisie’s Scrapbook

    Samuel Narh
    4

Ages 5-8

  • Wisp: A Story of Hope

    Zana Fraillon
    5
  • Two Sides

    Polly Ho-Yen
    5
  • Goldilocks (A Hashtag Cautionary Tale)

    Jeanne Willis
    5
  • Harold Snipperpot’s Best Disaster Ever

    Beatrice Alemagna
    4
  • Mummy’s Suitcase

    Pip Jones
    4
  • Me and My Sister

    Rose Robbins
    4
  • Maisie’s Scrapbook

    Samuel Narh
    4
  • Wishing for a Dragon

    Becky Cameron
    4
  • The Dinosaur Department Store

    The Dinosaur Department Store

    Lily Murray
    Richard Merrit
    3
  • Little Rabbit’s Big Surprise

    Swapna Haddow
    3

Ages 8-10

  • The Midnight Hour

    Benjamin Read
    Laura Trinder
    5
  • The Steam Whistle Theatre Company

    Vivian French
    5
  • Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties

    Humza Arshad
    Henry White
    5
  • The Day I Was Erased

    Lisa Thompson
    4
  • When We Were Warriors

    Emma Carroll
    4
  • The Boy Who Flew

    Fleur Hitchcock
    4

Ages 10-14

  • The Midnight Hour

    Benjamin Read
    Laura Trinder
    5
  • Now or Never-a Dunkirk Story

    Bali Rai
    5
  • Ghost

    Jason Reynolds
    4
  • Girl 38 Finding a Friend

    Ewa Jozefkowicz
    4
  • She Wolf

    Dan Smith
    3
  • Halo Moon

    Sharon Cohen
    3

Ages 14+

  • Shadowscent: The Darkest Bloom

    P.M. Freestone
    5
  • Proud

    Various Authors
    5
  • Joe Quinn’s Poltergeist

    David Almond
    5
  • Tales from the Inner City

    Tales from the Inner City

    Shaun Tan
    5
  • Outside

    Sarah Ann Juckes
    4
  • All the Invisible Things

    Orlagh Collins
    4

BfK News

SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2021 UKLA BOOK AWARDS

UKLA Book Awards logo

read more...
ALL STORIES, A NEW MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME FOR UNDERREPRESENTED CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITERS

A new mentorship scheme for underrepresented authors launches today, 30 March. All Stories offers fourteen mentorships delivered by expert children’s book editors.

All Stories logo

read more...
2021 SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

CKG Logo

The shortlists for the prestigious CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals are announced today, 18 March. The awards are the UK’s oldest for children and young people.

This year’s judges praised their shortlists for ‘offering hope and escapism during lockdown’ through explorations of freedom, the great outdoors and journeys through the natural world.

read more...
INAUGURAL LONGLIST ANNOUNCED FOR THE JHALAK CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULT PRIZE

The Jhalak Prize has announced the longlist for the inaugural Jhalak Children’s & Young Adult Prize.

Jhalak Prize logo

read more...
ONJALI RAÚF BECOMES WRITER IN RESIDENCE FOR BOOKTRUST

Award-winning author and activist, Onjali Raúf takes up the post as the new Writer in Residence for BookTrust, today, International Women’s Day. She takes over from Smriti Halls.

Onjali Q Raúf

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LONGLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2021 CILIP CARNEGIE AND KATE GREENAWAY MEDALS

The longlist for the 2021 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals have been announced.

CKG Logo

read more...
LONGLIST ANNOUNCED FOR 2021 KLAUS FLUGGE PRIZE

Klaus Flugge Prize logo

read more...
NOW OPEN: 2021 HENRIETTA BRANFORD WRITING COMPETITION

Finish a story started by Branford Boase Award winner Liz Hyder

The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition, the annual competition for young people which runs in conjunction with the Branford Boase Award, is now open.

read more...
TWO UK ENTRIES ON IBBY LIST OF OUTSTANDING BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Every two years, IBBY invites nominations for its international List of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities. Nominations are made by IBBY national sections and the final list is selected from these by the IBBY Documentation Centre of Books for Young People with Disabilities, based in Toronto. Because of its international content, the list is unique in the children’s book world. It is a huge voluntary undertaking as every country is encouraged to submit up to twelve titles across the three categories.

read more...
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.

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