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BfK No. 202 - September 2013
BfK 202 September 2013

This issue’s cover illustration is from Skellig, 15th Anniversary Edition, illustration © Jon Carling. Thanks to Hodder Children’s Books for their help with this September cover and to Macmillan Children’s Books for their support of the Authorgraph interview with Rebecca Cobb.

 Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 202 September 2013 .

BfK No. 202 Articles

Editorial 202

Editorial
The Middle of Nowhere – an interview with Geraldine McCaughrean

Geraldine McCaughrean discusses her new novel.
Indian Myths

Indian Myths an introduction
Ten of the Best Story Collections

Story Collections chosen by Patrick Ryan
Jane Ray Windows into Illustration

Jane Ray on her new style of illustration
William Blake and angels’ wings: Skellig fifteenth anniversary

David Almond interviewed by Geraldine Brennan
Authorgraph interview 202 Rebecca Cobb

Rebecca Cobb interviewed by George Hunt
From Story to Stage

Geoff Fox on an inspirational story-telling project
More than Ever: Patrick Ness interview

Patrick Ness on his new novel More Than This
‘To Boldly Go’ - the Children’s Laureate 1999 and beyond

The Laureate: a history

Philip Reeve I Wish I'd Written

Philip Reeve expresses his admiration for Hilary McKay
Good Reads 202

Chosen by readers at Mill Dam Junior Infant and Nursery School, Pontefract, West Yorkshire
Briefing 202

News and Awards
Red Lemon Press

Introducing a new non-fiction publisher
Picture Book Apps: the best new titles

Selected by Lucy Russell
Classics in Short number 101

Charles Kingsley’s story collection, The Heroes.
Neil Gaiman interviewed for Books for Keeps by Nicholas Tucker

Nicholas Tucker interviews Neil Gaiman about his new book Fortunately the Milk.
An interview with Francesca Simon: The Lost Gods

Francesca Simon answers questions on The Lost Gods.
DRAWING FROM THE CITY: TARA BOOKS IN LONDON

Gita Wolf on the launch of Drawing from the City at the Illustration Cupboard.
Hallowe’en interview: Berlie Doherty talks about her new book The Company of Ghosts

Berlie Doherty interviewed

Editor's Choice

Phoenix
S. F. Said
(David Fickling Books)
5

Lucky's life is thrown into turmoil when his mother dies protecting him from government forces. Lucky escapes in the alien spaceship commanded by Captain Nox. His mission - to find his father, the heroic Major Dashwood, fighting beyond the...

read more

New Talent

Winter Damage
Natasha Carthew
(Bloomsbury Childrens)
5

Ennor thought the idea of doing things for the sake of it was strange and wasteful in time and purpose, but she was fourteen and could count fun times on the fingers of just one hand.

Fourteen year old Ennor lives in a trailer...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 202

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

Under 5s

  • Picnic
    John Burningham
    5

  • Do Not Enter The Monster Zoo
    Amy Sparkes
    5

  • It’s Not Yours, It’s Mine
    Susanna Moores
    4

  • You’re A Rude Pig, Bertie
    Claudia Bolt
    4

  • Animal Opposites
    Nicola Killen
    4

  • Hannah’s Night
    Komako Sakai
    3

  • Jellybean Goes to School
    Margaret Roc
    3

  • Twinkle, Twinkle, Squiglet Pig
    Joyce Dunbar
    3

  • Where’s Tim’s Ted? It’s Time For Bed!
    Ian Whybrow
    3

Ages 5-8

  • The Good Little Devil and other tales
    Pierre Gripari
    5

  • Mr Tiger Goes Wild
    Peter Brown
    5

  • Little Mouse’s Big Book of Beasts
    Emily Gravett
    5

  • The Day the Crayons Quit
    Oliver Jeffers
    5

  • Dustbin Dad
    Peter Bently
    4

  • Help! We Need a Title!
    Hervé Tulley
    4

  • Dixie O’Day In the Fast Lane
    Shirley Hughes
    Clara Vulliamy
    4

  • Barmy Barney Barn Owl
    Ann Jungman
    3

  • Captain Brainpower and the Mighty Mean Machine
    Sam Lloyd
    3

  • Mabel and Me Best of Friends
    Mark Sperring
    3

Ages 8-10

  • The Good Little Devil and other tales
    Pierre Gripari
    5

  • Girls, Goddesses and Giants: stories of heroines from around the world
    Lari Don
    5

  • Demeter and Persephone
    Hugh Lupton
    Daniel Morden
    5

  • The Twistrose Key
    Tone Almhjell
    5

  • Good Dog, Bad Dog
    Dave Shelton
    4

  • Hilda and the Troll
    Luke Pearson
    4

  • Flora and Ulysses, The Illuminated Adventures
    Kate DiCamillo
    4

  • Oliver and the Seawigs
    Philip Reeve
    4

  • Baddies, Beasties and a Sprinkling of Crumbs
    Tracey Corderoy
    4

  • Mysterious Traveller
    Mal Peet
    4

Ages 10-14

  • Winter Damage
    Natasha Carthew
    5

  • Lockwood & Co

    Jonathan Stroud
    5

  • Phoenix
    S. F. Said
    5

  • Ghost Hawk
    Susan Cooper
    5

  • Russian Roulette
    Anthony Horowitz
    5

  • The Broken Spell
    Erika McGann
    4

  • Rebecca Rocks
    Anna Carey
    4

  • Vango
    Timothée De Fombelle
    4

  • The Society of Thirteen
    Gareth P Jones
    4

  • Attack of the Cupids
    John Dickinson
    4

  • A Kiss, a Dare and a Boat called Promise
    Fiona Foden
    4

  • Spooked: the haunting of Kit Connelly
    Paul Bryers
    3

  • Iremonger: Heap House
    Edward Carey
    3

  • The Dead Men Stood Together
    Chris Priestley
    3

  • Shine
    Candy Gourlay
    3

  • Ways to See a Ghost
    Emily Diamand
    3

  • A House Without Mirrors
    Marten Sanden
    3

  • Far Far Away
    Tom McNeal
    3

  • Fire Spell
    Laura Amy Schlitz
    3

  • My Friend, the Enemy
    Dan Smith
    3

  • Cross my heart
    Carmen Reid
    1

Ages 14+

  • Split Second
    Sophie McKenzie
    5

  • The Boy on the Wooden Box: A Memoir
    Leon Leyson
    5

  • The Coldest Girl in Coldtown
    Holly Black
    5

  • All the Truth That’s in Me
    Julie Berry
    5

  • Vivian Versus the Apocalypse
    Katie Coyle
    5

  • Blood Donors
    Steve Tasane
    5

  • Severed Heads, Broken Hearts
    Robyn Schneider
    4

  • Fearsome Dreamer
    Laure Eve
    4

  • Night Witches
    L J Adlington
    4

  • In Bloom
    Matthew Crow
    4

  • Hello Darkness
    Anthony McGowan
    4

  • Crown of Midnight
    Sarah J Maas
    4

  • One Moment
    Kristina McBride
    3

  • Terra
    Mitch Benn
    3

  • The Rig
    Joe Ducie
    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.’

read more...
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.

read more...
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

read more...
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

read more...
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.

read more...
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

read more...
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.

read more...
TOM PALMER WINS THE CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2020

Tom Palmer

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