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BfK No. 223 - March 2017

This issue’s cover illustration features a selection of books by Jane Ray. Thanks to Boxer Books, Hachette Children’s Books and Walker 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 223 March 2017 .

BfK No. 223 Articles

Editorial 223

Editorial comment

Drawn to Reading: the importance of pictures and visual literacy

by Mairi Kidd of Barrington Stoke

Now or Neverland: Peter Pan and the Myth of Eternal Youth

Nicolette Jones on the boy who never grows old.

Windows into Illustration: Meg McLaren

Meg McLaren on Pigeon P.I.

Authorgraph 223 Jane Ray

Jane Ray interviewed by Clive Barnes

Ten of the Best Utopias in Children’s Literature

Utopian children’s fiction chosen by Imogen Russell Williams

EmpathyLab - building empathy through stories

A report by founders Miranda McKearney and Sarah Mears

Obituary Dick Bruna

Nicholas Tucker remembers the creator of Miffy

Obituary Dahlov Ipcar

The influential illustrator remembered by Nicholas Tucker

Two Children Tell: Nicholas and Raymond Briggs

Nicholas discovers Raymond Briggs

Spotlight on Matt Griffin

In the Spotlight: Matt Griffin

A brand new life for Mr Toad

Tom Moorhouse and Holly Swain reinvigorate a favourite character

Good Reads 223

Chosen by pupils at Cambourne Village College, Cambridgeshire

I Wish I’d Written: Lyn Gardner

Lyn Gardner chooses

Classics in Short No. 121: Maria Edgeworth

Brian Alderson on Maria Edgeworth

AN INTERVIEW WITH L A WEATHERLY

The author discusses her Broken trilogy.

A DAY IN THE WRITING LIFE OF DAN WALKER

The author of Sky Thieves takes us through his writing day.

AN INTERVIEW WITH HELEN PETERS

Helen Peters interviewed about her new book Evie's Ghost

Editor's Choice

A Village Is a Busy Place

V Geetha

(Tara Books)

This village is a very busy place as it prepares to celebrate a wedding. However, everyday life must also go on; there is grain to be cleaned, bread baked, rice planted or perhaps a train to catch. The place is a hive of activity even as night...

The Elephant Thief

Jane Kerr

(Chicken House)

This is storytelling at its best. From the vivid and dramatic opening scene, the reader is gripped by the amazing story of orphan pickpocket Danny who in 1872 rode an elephant from Edinburgh to Manchester.

The novel is based on the...

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

Under 5s

I’m in Charge!

Jeanne Willis

5
Nanette’s Baguette

Mo Willems

5
The Elephant's Umbrella

Laleh Jaffari

4
Dave’s Rock

Frann Preston-Gannon

4
My Pictures after the Storm

Eric Veille

4
When Grandad Was a Penguin

Morag Hood

3
Frog and Beaver

Simon James

3

Ages 5-8

The Everywhere Bear

Julia Donaldson

5
The Island and the Bear

Louise Greig

5
A Village Is a Busy Place

V Geetha

5
Jamal’s Journey

Michael Foreman

4
Adelaide’s Secret World

Elise Hurst

4
Swashbuckle Lil The Secret Pirate

Elli Woollard

4
Mr Bunny’s Chocolate Factory

Elys Dolan

4
When Grandad Was a Penguin

Morag Hood

3

Ages 8-10

The Elephant Thief

Jane Kerr

5
Seeking Refuge

Irene N.Watts

5
The Bookshop Girl

Sylvia Bishop

5
How to Be a Tiger

George Szirtes

5
Frogkisser

Garth Nix

5
The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart

Stephanie Burgis

4
Cass and the Bubble Street Gang The Clubhouse Mystery

Erika McGann

4
Hilo: The Boy who crashed to Earth

Judd Winick

4
His Royal Whiskers

Sam Gayton

4
Sky Thieves

Dan Walker

4
Lots

Marc Martin

3

Ages 10-14

Fish Boy

Chloe Daykin

5
When Morning Comes

Arushi Raina

5
A Dangerous Crossing

Jane Mitchell

5
Who Let the Gods Out?

Maz Evans

4
Rose Campion and the Curse of the Doomstone

Lyn Gardner

4
Optimists Die First

Susin Nielsen

4
The Liar’s Handbook

Keren David

4
What Not to Do if You Turn Invisible

Ross Welford

4
Exploring Space

Martin Jenkins

4
The Spiral Path

Matt Griffin

4

Ages 14+

Mind the Gap

Phil Earle

5
When Morning Comes

Arushi Raina

5
We Come Apart

Sarah Crossan
Brian Conaghan

5
Whisper to Me

Nick Lake

5
Optimists Die First

Susin Nielsen

4
Open: A Toolkit for how magic and messed up life can be

Gemma Cairney

4
Room Empty

Sarah Mussi

4
Goodbye Days

Jeff Zentner

4

BfK News

ALASTAIR HUMPHREYS’ GREAT ADVENTURERS WINS THE 2019 EDUCATIONAL WRITERS’ AWARD

The winner of the 2019 Educational Writers’ Award is Alastair Humphreys’ Great Adventurers: The Incredible Expeditions of 20 Explorers (Big Picture Press).

Alastair Humphreys Great Adventures

Former Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman and acclaimed author Jenny Downham are on the shortlist for the 2019 Costa Children’s Book Award, which was announced today, 26^th November 2020. Alongside them on the list are newcomers Jasbinder Bilan and Nicholas Downing, both of whom are published by Chicken House.

The 2019 Costa Children’s Award shortlist

Shortlist announced for the UK’s only award for creative educational writing

The Society of Authors and the Authors’ Licensing& Collecting Society have announced the shortlist for the 2019 ALCS Educational Writers’ Award, the UK’s only award for educational writing which stimulates and enhances the learning experience.

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.

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

2020 UKLA BOOK AWARDS THE LONGLISTS

UKLA Awards

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

Jessica Love

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

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.

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

Books for Keeps 223 - the children's book magazine online

Digital version – browse, print or download

BfK Newsletter

BfK No. 223 Articles

Editor's Choice

A Village Is a Busy Place

New Talent

The Elephant Thief

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 223

Under 5s

I’m in Charge!

Nanette’s Baguette

The Elephant's Umbrella

Dave’s Rock

My Pictures after the Storm

When Grandad Was a Penguin

Frog and Beaver

Ages 5-8

The Everywhere Bear

The Island and the Bear

A Village Is a Busy Place

Jamal’s Journey

Adelaide’s Secret World

Swashbuckle Lil The Secret Pirate

Mr Bunny’s Chocolate Factory

When Grandad Was a Penguin

Ages 8-10

The Elephant Thief

Seeking Refuge

The Bookshop Girl

How to Be a Tiger

Frogkisser

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart

Cass and the Bubble Street Gang The Clubhouse Mystery

Hilo: The Boy who crashed to Earth

His Royal Whiskers

Sky Thieves

Lots

Ages 10-14

Fish Boy

When Morning Comes

A Dangerous Crossing

Who Let the Gods Out?

Rose Campion and the Curse of the Doomstone

Optimists Die First

The Liar’s Handbook

What Not to Do if You Turn Invisible

Exploring Space

The Spiral Path

Ages 14+

Mind the Gap

When Morning Comes

We Come Apart

Whisper to Me

Optimists Die First

Open: A Toolkit for how magic and messed up life can be

Room Empty

Goodbye Days

BfK News