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Books for Keeps 173 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 173 - November 2008

Cover story
This issue’s cover illustration by Ralph Steadman is from Garibaldi’s Biscuits published this month by Andersen Press (978 1 84270 860 6, £10.99 hbk). Ralph Steadman is interviewed by Martin Salisbury. Thanks to Andersen Press for their help with this November cover.

BfK No. 173 Articles

Editorial - November 2008

News and comment from the Editor.
Sounding Off! Some noisy picture books

Jill Bennett on picture books with phonic elements.
Philippa Pearce – Word Perfect

Victor Watson analyses Philippa Pearce’s use of words.
Ten of the Best Christmas Books

Rosemary Stones chooses books with a Christmas theme.
Authorgraph No.173: Ralph Steadman

Ralph Steadman interviewed by Martin Salisbury.
Laureate Log - November 2008

Michael Rosen reports on his Laureate projects.
Hal’s Reading Diary – November 2008

Roger Mills is making up stories for Hal.
I Wish I’d Written… Moominland Midwinter

Jenny Downham chooses Tove Jansson’s Moominland Midwinter.
Good Reads: Shavington High School

Reviews from pupils of Shavington High School, Crewe.
Classics in Short No.72: Mog the Forgetful Cat

Brian Alderson on Judith Kerr’s Mog the Forgetful Cat.

Editor's Choice

Jackdaw Summer
David Almond
(Hodder Children's Books)
5

‘Plese look after her rite. This is a childe of god’ reads the note attached to the blanket wrapped round the abandoned baby. Has she really been saved by the jackdaw that seemed to be leading Max and Liam to her? Liam’s novelist father used to...

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New Talent

Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles
Rupert Kingfisher
(Bloomsbury Publishing PLC)
4

Every summer Madeleine is sent to stay with her bullying uncle Monsieur Lard, one of the worst chefs in Paris, and set to washing up endless dishes in the kitchens of his restaurant, the Squealing Pig. It is on an errand to buy pâté that she...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 173

  • Under 5s
  • Ages 5-8
  • Ages 8-10
  • Ages 10-14
  • Ages 14+
  • Books About Children's Books

Under 5s

  • Traction Man meets Turbo Dog
    Mini Grey
    5

  • How to Heal a Broken Wing
    Bob Graham
    5

  • Mrs Muffly's Monster
    Sarah Dyer
    4

  • Are the Clothes Clean?; What's in the Fridge?
    Gaby Goldsack
    4

  • Charlie is My Darling
    Malachy Doyle
    4

  • What's That Noise, Mr Croc?
    Jo Lodge
    4

  • Dogfish
    Gillian Shields
    4

  • Tuck Your Vest In
    Daniel Morden
    3

  • Oodles of Noodles
    Diana Hendry
    3

  • Daddy's Lullaby
    Tony Bradman
    3

  • Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
    3

  • Little by Little
    Amber Stewart
    3

  • Kisses Are Yuk!
    Julia Jarman
    3

Ages 5-8

  • ABC UK
    James Dunn
    5

  • Little Beauty
    Anthony Browne
    4

  • Martha in the Middle
    Jan Fearnley
    4

  • Take a Flight
    Peter Kent
    4

  • Scratch Kitten Goes to Sea; Scratch Kitten on the Pirate's Shoulder
    Jessica Green
    4

  • My Friend Is Sad; There Is a Bird on Your Head!; I Am Invited to a Party!; Today I Will Fly!
    Mo Willems
    4

  • Tom's Clockwork Dragon
    Jonathan Emmett
    4

  • Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles
    Rupert Kingfisher
    4

  • Spells
    Emily Gravett
    4

  • Mystery Pups: Dognapped!; Mystery Pups: Framed!
    Jodie Mellor
    3

  • Inside Your Outside!; If I Ran the Rainforest
    Tish Rabe
    3

  • The Ship's Kitten
    Matilda Webb
    3

  • Wow! 366: Speedy stories in just 366 words
    3

  • Animal Families
    Lorrie Mack
    2

  • Farmer Joe and the Music Show
    1

Ages 8-10

  • Boy, Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs!
    Kathleen V Kudlinski
    5

  • Tales of Terror from the Black Ship
    Chris Priestley
    5

  • The Toymaker
    Jeremy De Quidt
    5

  • Our World of Water
    Beatrice Hollyer
    5

  • The Cat Who Liked Rain
    Henning Mankell
    4

  • The Colossal Book of Costumes
    Joëlle Jolivet
    4

  • You Love Judy Fuller
    John Bartholomew
    3

  • Spellbound
    Anna Dale
    3

  • Olaf the Viking
    Martin Conway
    3

  • Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox
    Eoin Colfer
    2

  • Castlecliff
    Elizabeth Pulford
    2

Ages 10-14

  • World War II: the events and their impact on real people
    Reg Grant
    5

  • The Young Inferno
    John Agard
    5

  • The Lion Encyclopedia of World Religions
    David Self
    4

  • Silvertongue
    Charlie Fletcher
    4

  • The Robber Baron's Daughter
    Jamila Gavin
    4

  • The Resistance
    Gemma Malley
    4

  • Spray
    Harry Edge
    4

  • The Ancient Egyptians
    Angela Mcdonald
    3

  • Last Battle of the Icemark
    Stuart Hill
    3

  • The Demon Assassin
    Alan Gibbons
    3

  • The Goldsmith's Daughter
    Tanya Landman
    3

  • The Scribes from Alexandria
    Caroline Lawrence
    3

  • The Mark of Edain
    Pauline Chandler
    3

  • Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party
    Ying Chang Compestine
    3

  • Road to War
    Valerie Wilding
    3

  • A Beautiful Place for a Murder
    Berlie Doherty
    3

  • Love-Struck
    Rachael Wing
    3

  • Love, Stargirl
    Jerry Spinelli
    2

  • Oath Breaker
    Michelle Paver
    2

  • The Hunter and The Hunted
    Al Wilde
    2

  • Last Kiss of the Butterfly
    Jill Hucklesby
    1

Ages 14+

  • Jackdaw Summer
    David Almond
    5

  • Bloodchild
    Tim Bowler
    4

  • The Trap
    Sarah Wray
    4

  • Cathy's Key
    Sean Stewart
    Joran Weisman
    4

  • City of Screams
    John Brindley
    4

  • Sold
    Patricia McCormick
    3

  • Outside Beauty
    Cynthia Kadohata
    3

  • Scarlet
    Stephen R Lawhead
    3

  • Ink Exchange
    Melissa Marr
    3

  • Possessing Rayne
    Kate Cann
    3

  • Out of My Depth
    Helen Bailey
    2

Books About Children's Books

  • The Family in English Children's Literature
    Ann Alston
    4

  • British Children's Fiction in the Second World War
    Owen Dudley Edwards
    3

BfK News

BRANFORD BOASE AWARD 2020: LONGLIST ANNOUNCED

Branford Boase Award logo

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EMPATHYLAB ANNOUNCES 2020 READ FOR EMPATHY BOOK COLLECTION

Raising A Generation of Empathic Citizens

Empathy Day logo

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JASBINDER BILAN WINS COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD WITH HER DEBUT NOVEL

Jasbinder Bilan

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COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2019: SHORTLIST FEATURES

Former Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman and acclaimed author Jenny Downham are on the shortlist for the 2019 Costa Children’s Book Award alongside newcomers Jasbinder Bilan and Nicholas Downing.

Costa Book Awards logo

Click the links below to read new Books for Keeps feature articles on each of the shortlisted authors.

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THE IBBY LIST OF OUSTANDING BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Dr Rebecca Butler writes.

Readers of Books for Keeps will remember that IBBY (the International Board on Books for Young People) arranges every two years a competition to identify the very best books for young readers featuring disability or designed to be read by young people with disabilities. Last time this list was compiled in 2017/18 I was the coordinator for the UK section.

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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

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BLACKMAN AND DOWNHAM ON SHORTLIST FOR 2019 COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD

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, 26th 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

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2019 ALCS EDUCATIONAL WRITERS’ 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.

read more...
‘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.

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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.

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