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Books for Keeps 242 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 242 - May 2020
BfK 242 May 2020

This issue’s cover illustration is from Pests written and illustrated by Emer Stamp. Thanks to Hodder Children’s Books for their help with this May cover.

By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 242 May 2020.

BfK No. 242 Articles

Editorial July 2020

Comment from the editor

Is Lockdown the Perfect Time to Write?

Writing under Lockdown: Matt Brown struggles

Ten Essential Children's Books

Ten essential books for young readers chosen by Frank Cottrell-Boyce

Windows into Illustration: Mini Grey

Mini Grey on her book The Bad Bunnies' Magic Show

Authorgraph 242: Elizabeth Acevedo

Elizabeth Acevedo interviewed by Nicolette Jones

Celebrating Bob Hartman and the 25th Anniversary of The Lion Storyteller Bible

25 years of the Lion Storyteller Bible

Marvellous Medicine: how to get through the Coronavirus epidemic with children’s books

The children's authors providing a tonic

More Marvellous Medicine

More fun activities for engagement and entertainment for children during lockdown.

Illustrating Pippi

Reimagining Pippi Longstocking

Beyond the Secret Garden Hooray for Health Workers!

Darren Chetty and Karen Sands-O’Connor raise a cheer for some fictional doctors and nurses

Beyond the Secret Garden: A Round Up

In one place, all the Beyond the Secret Garden articles by Darren Chetty and Karen Sands-O'Connor

Margaret Meek Spencer 1925 – 4 May 2020

Margaret Meek Spencer remembered by Clive Barnes

I Wish I'd Written

Beverley Birch chooses

AN INTERVIEW WITH SHAUN TAN WINNER OF 2020 CILIP KATE GREENAWAY MEDAL

Shaun Tan discusses his book Tales from the Inner City, winner of the 2020 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal with Jake Hope.

Classics in Short No 141: Some Little Men and Women

Seven Little Australians

A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH ALI SPARKES

Ali Sparkes answers our questions on The Night Speakers series.

A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH HOLLY RACE

The author of Midnight's Twins answers our questions.

Editor's Choice

The Girl from the Sea and other stories

Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen
4

...

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New Talent

One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller

Kate Read
5

...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 242

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

Under 5s

  • One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller

    Kate Read
    5
  • Bunnies on the Bus

    Philip Ardagh
    5
  • King of the Classroom

    Derrick Barnes
    4
  • Perdu

    Richard Jones
    4
  • Meet the Planets

    Caryl Hart
    4
  • Hugo

    Atinuke
    4
  • The Bad Day

    Frann Preston-Gannon
    4
  • Everyone's Awake

    Colin Meloy
    4
  • My Mama

    Annemarie van Haeringen
    4
  • Follow Me, Flo!

    Jarvis
    3

Ages 5-8

  • The Tale of a Toothbrush

    M.G. Leonard
    5
  • Bear Shaped

    Dawn Coulter-Cruttenden
    5
  • On Wings of Words

    Jennifer Berne
    5
  • Hello, Crow!

    Candace Savage
    5
  • Frockodile

    Jeanne Willis
    5
  • There's a Crocodile in the House

    Paul Cookson
    4
  • The Lost Book

    Margarita Surnaite
    4
  • Animal Explorers: Lola the Plant Hunter

    Sharon Rentta
    4
  • Hey, Water!

    Antoinette Portis
    4
  • A Book of Bears: At Home with Bears Around the World

    Katie Viggers
    4
  • Another book about bears

    Laura Bunting
    Philip Bunting
    4
  • Midge and Mo

    Lara Williamson
    4
  • Tiny T Rex and the Very Dark Dark

    Jonathan Stutzman
    3

Ages 8-10

  • The House of Hidden Wonders

    Sharon Gosling
    5
  • Agents of the Wild: Operation Honeyhunt

    Jennifer Bell
    5
  • The Story of Inventions

    Catherine Barr
    Steve Williams
    5
  • Super Happy Magic Forest and the Humongous Fungus

    Matty Long
    5
  • The Vanishing Trick

    Jenni Spangler
    4
  • The Girl from the Sea and other stories

    Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen
    4
  • A Kind of Spark

    Elle McNicholl
    4
  • Hope Jones Saves the World

    Josh Lacey
    4
  • Wilde

    Eloise Williams
    4
  • Johnny Ball: Accidental Football Genius

    Matt Oldfield
    3
  • Freddie's Amazing Bakery: The Cookie Mystery

    Harriet Whitehorn
    3
  • Anisha: Accidental Detective

    Serena Patel
    Emma McCann
    3
  • Mermaid School

    Lucy Courtney
    3

Ages 10-14

  • TrooFriend

    Kirsty Appelbaum
    5
  • Chasing Ghosts

    Nicola Pierce
    4
  • Wink

    Rob Harrell
    4
  • Robin Hood

    Robert Muchamore
    4
  • The Vanishing Trick

    Jenni Spangler
    4
  • The Sound of Freedom

    Ann Murtagh
    4
  • Hope against Hope

    Sheena Wilkinson
    4
  • The Infinite

    Patience Agbabi
    4
  • Clean Getaway

    Nic Stone
    3
  • Memoirs of a Basque Cow

    Bernado Atxaga
    3
  • The List of Things That Will Not Change

    Rebecca Stead
    2

Ages 14+

  • The Pieces of Ourselves

    Maggie Harcourt
    4
  • The Falling in Love Montage

    Ciara Smyth
    4
  • A Phoenix First Must Burn

    Patrice Caldwell
    4
  • The Gone Book

    Helena Close
    3
  • Most Likely

    Sarah Watson
    3
  • Burn

    Patrick Ness
    3

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.’

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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

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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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