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Books for Keeps 247 - 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. 247 - March 2021
BfK 247 March 2021

This issue’s cover illustration is from The Weather Weaver by Tamsin Mori, illustration by David Dean. Thanks to Uclan Publishing for their help with this March cover.

BfK No. 247 Articles

Guest Editorial: Let Them Play

Let them Play says Piers Torday

Inclusive Storytelling

Inclusive Storytelling: author Elle McNicoll introduces the Own Voice movement

Unlock a Love of Creative Writing

Unlock a Love of Creative Writing There’s never been a better time to encourage children’s writing, says Joanne Owen

Authorgraph: Jon Agee

Authorgraph: Jon Agee interviewed by Jake Hope

Ten of the Best Books Connecting Children with Nature

Ten of the Best: books that connect children with nature, selected by Ann Lazim

Beyond the Secret Garden: East Asian Characters in British Children’s Fiction

Beyond the Secret Garden Drawing Conclusions: East Asian Characters in British Children’s Fiction by Darren Chetty and Karen Sands-O’Connor

Drawn Across Borders

Drawn Across Borders introduced by George Butler

I Wish I'd Written: Em Norry

I Wish: Em Norry chooses an intensely lyrical novel

Goodreads 247

Good Reads chosen by young people at Toot Hill School, Nottingham

Telling the Story of Chernobyl

Telling the Story of Chernobyl by Helen Bate

Libraries in Lockdown

Libraries in Lockdown: secondary school librarian Kristabelle Williams describes how she’s kept her library open

Obituary: Victor Ambrus

Obituary: Victor Ambrus remembered by Nicholas Tucker

Classics in Short No 146: Nonsense Songs and Amblongus Pie

Classics in Short No. 146 Nonsense Songs and Amblongus Pie Brian Alderson reflects on one of the most original and accomplished children’s books of the 19th century

The Mindful Art of Reading a Poem: an interview with Allie Esiri

There is no time like spring to interview anthologist par excellence Allie Esiri

MAN OVERBOARD: AN INTERVIEW WITH JONATHAN STROUD

Damian Kelleher interview Jonathan Stroud about his new adventure series, The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne

Editor's Choice

No! Said Rabbit

Marjoke Henrichs
5

Rabbit has an answer to all Mum’s suggestions from time to get up until bath time – “No!” But even a little rabbit can sometimes say “Yes” when the prize is as special as a cuddle from Mum.

Pitching a picture book at the very youngest is...

read more

New Talent

The Last Bear

Hannah Gold
4

The urgency of saving the Arctic is made wonderfully, magically real in Hannah Gold’s majestic debut. Eleven-year-old April escapes the miseries of school and travels with her scientist father to a remote outpost on the equally faraway Bear...

read more

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 247

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

Under 5s

  • Slug in Love

    Rachel Bright
    5
  • No! Said Rabbit

    Marjoke Henrichs
    5
  • The Dodos Did It!

    Alice McKinney
    5
  • Uncle Bobby's Wedding

    Sarah Brannen
    5
  • One Little Bird

    Sheryl Webster
    4
  • Just Like You

    Jo Loring-Fisher
    4
  • Sunny-Side Up

    Jacky Davis
    4
  • Wolf Girl

    Jo Loring-Fisher
    4
  • The Lipstick

    Laura Dockrill
    3
  • The Don't Panic Gang!

    Mark Sperring
    3

Ages 5-8

  • Milo Imagines the World

    Matt de la Pena
    5
  • HOM

    Jeanne Willis
    5
  • Lionel the Lonely Monster

    Fred Blunt
    5
  • The King with Dirty Feet

    Sally Pomme Clayton
    5
  • What Did the Tree See?

    Charlotte Guillain
    4
  • What About Me? Said the Flea

    Lily Murray
    4
  • Alone!

    Barry Falls
    4
  • Howl

    Kat Patrick
    4
  • The Problem with Pierre

    C.K Smouha
    4
  • Everybody Worries

    Jon Burgerman
    4
  • Song of the River

    Joy Cowley
    4
  • Can Bears Ski?

    Raymond Antrobus
    4
  • We've Got Talent

    Hannah Whitty
    4
  • The Greatest Show Penguin

    Lucy Freegard
    4
  • Chicken Come Home

    Polly Faber
    4
  • Omar, the Bees and Me

    Helen Mortimer
    4
  • The Tale of the Whale

    Karen Swann
    4
  • My Sneezes Are Perfect

    Rakhshan Rizwan
    Yusuf Samee
    3
  • Get up, Elizabeth!

    Shirin Yin Bridges
    3

Ages 8-10

  • Veggie Power

    Annette Roeder
    5
  • A Girl Called Joy

    Jenny Valentine
    5
  • I am Every Good Thing

    Derrick Barnes
    5
  • The Hatmakers

    Tamzin Merchant
    5
  • Too Small Tola and the Three Fine Girls

    Atinuke
    5
  • I Talk Like a River

    Jordan Scott
    5
  • A Shelter for Sadness

    Anne Booth
    5
  • The Last Bear

    Hannah Gold
    4
  • Vi Spy Licence to Chill

    Maz Evans
    4
  • The Day the Screens went Blank

    Danny Wallace
    4
  • Weird, Wild and Wonderful: The poetry world of James Carter

    James Carter
    4
  • Stars with Flaming Tails

    Valerie Bloom
    4
  • Daydreams and Jellybeans: Poems to be Read Aloud

    Alex Wharton
    4
  • Saving Hanno

    Miriam Halahmy
    4
  • Omar, the Bees and Me

    Helen Mortimer
    4
  • The Weather Weaver

    Tamsin Mori
    4
  • What about the Tooth Fairy?

    Elys Dolan
    3
  • Space Detectives

    Mark Powers
    3
  • Flyntlock Bones: The Eye of Mogdrod

    Derek Keilty
    3
  • Everyday Magic

    Jess Kidd
    3

Ages 10-14

  • Front Desk

    Kelly Yang
    5
  • Edgar and Adolf

    Phil Earle
    Michael Wagg
    4
  • The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh

    Helen Rutter
    4
  • Maggie Blue and the Dark World

    Anna Goodall
    4
  • The Weather Weaver

    Tamsin Mori
    4
  • Show Us Who You Are

    Elle McNicholl
    4
  • Circus Maximus: Race to the Death

    Annelise Gray
    3
  • The Queen's Fool

    Ally Sherrick
    3
  • The Twisted Threads of Polly Freeman

    Pippa Goodhart
    3

Ages 14+

  • We Played With Fire

    Catherine Barter
    5
  • Firekeeper's Daughter

    Angeline Boulley
    5
  • Future Girl

    Asphyxia
    5
  • Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town

    Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock
    5
  • Smashed

    Andy Robb
    5
  • Guard Your Heart

    Sue Divin
    5
  • Rat

    Patrice Lawrence
    4
  • The Girls I've Been

    Tess Sharpe
    4
  • This Can Never Not Be Real

    Sera Milano
    4
  • Talking to Alaska

    Anna Wolz
    4
  • House of Hollow

    House of Hollow

    Krystal Sutherland
    4
  • Game Changer

    Neal Shusterman
    3

BfK News

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

read more...
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.

read more...
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...
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