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Books for Keeps 156 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 156 - January 2006

Cover Story
This issue’s cover illustration is from Graham Marks’ Tokyo. Graham Marks is interviewed by Julia Eccleshare. Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for their help with this January cover.

BfK No. 156 Articles

Editorial - January 2006

News and comment from the Editor.
J K Rowling by Stuart Pearson Wright at the National Portrait Gallery

Brian Sewell on the recently commissioned portrait.
Malorie Blackman’s ‘Noughts & Crosses’ Trilogy

Errol Lloyd assesses its appeal.
How should we teach children to read?

Henrietta Dombey debates synthetic phonics.
Story of the Storeys or Seven at one go

Brian Alderson discusses the new centre for the study of children's literature.
Authorgraph No.156: Graham Marks

Graham Marks interviewed by Julia Eccleshare.
BfK Briefing - January 2006

News * Awards * Events * Obituaries * Letters to the Editor
Useful Organisations No.42: Children's Poetry Bookshelf

Children's poetry for 7-11 year-olds.
Hal’s Reading Diary - January 2006

Roger Mills on Hal being taught to read.
I Wish I’d Written… Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

Kevin Brooks chooses Jack Gantos's Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key.
Good Reads: Maidenhill School, Gloucestershire

Reviews from Maidenhill School, Gloucestershire.
Classics in Short No.55: Mary Poppins

Brian Alderson on P L Travers' Mary Poppins.

Editor's Choice

Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent
Lauren Child
(Hodder Children's Books)
5

A natural at almost everything (reading, swimming, table tennis, Japanese, Maths), Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent has ‘frightfully, frightfully rich’ parents with houses in London, New York and Milan. Extremely sociable and generous, the...

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New Talent

Fly By Night
Frances Hardinge
(Macmillan Children's Books)
4

When 12-year-old Mosca Mye burns down her uncle’s mill (accidentally or on purpose?), it is time for her to leave the village of Clough and seek her fortune with storyteller, poet and petty crook Eponymous Clent. On their arrival in the capital,...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 156

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

Under 5s

  • Opposites
    Robert Crowther
    5

  • Hit the Ball Duck
    Jez Alborough
    5

  • Mixed Up Fairy Tales
    Hilary Robinson
    4

  • Hieronymus Betts and his Unusual Pets
    M P Robertson
    4

  • Bored Bill
    Liz Pichon
    4

  • Alligator Alphabet
    Stella Blackstone
    4

  • Pablo the Artist
    Satoshi Kitamura
    3

  • Kidogo
    Anik McGrory
    3

  • Just Like You Did
    Marjorie Newman
    3

  • I Wish I Were a Dog
    Lydia Monks
    3

  • Fantastic Mr Wani, The
    Kanako Usui
    3

  • Elmer and Rose
    David McKee
    3

  • Whose nose?; Whose teeth?
    Jeannette Rowe
    2

  • Robot Dog
    Mark Oliver
    2

  • Myron's Magic Cow
    Marlene Newman
    2

  • Whatever
    William Bee
    1

Ages 5-8

  • Wizard, the Ugly and the Book of Shame, The
    Pablo Bernascon
    5

  • I Dreamt I Was a Dinosaur
    Stella Blackstone
    5

  • Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent
    Lauren Child
    5

  • Fairy Tales, The
    Charles Perrault
    The Brothers Grimm
    5

  • Tractor Trouble
    Steve Augarde
    4

  • Mortimer and the Sword Excalibur
    Joan Aiken
    4

  • Witch Pigs
    Colin Hawkins
    Jacqui Hawkins
    3

  • Belonging; Celebrating Harvest; Gifts at Christmas; Jewish Faith, The; Visiting a Church; Visiting a Gurdwara; Visiting a Mandir; Visiting a Mosque; Visiting a Synagogue
    Ruth Nason
    3

  • Mr Large In Charge
    Jill Murphy
    3

  • Man of the Match
    Sophie Smiley
    3

  • Harry the Poisonous Centipede Goes to Sea
    Lynne Reid Banks
    3

  • Burger Boy
    Alan Durant
    3

  • Billy Wizard
    Chris Priestley
    3

Ages 8-10

  • Nicholas
    Rene Goscinny
    5

  • Imagine
    Norman Messenger
    5

  • Connor's Eco Den; Doomsday Virus, The; Last Viking, The; Space Ace; Stat Man; Traitor's Gate
    Pippa Goodhart
    4

  • Three Cheers for Inventors!
    Marcia Williams
    4

  • Here Be Monsters! (The Ratbridge Chronicles, Volume 1)
    Alan Snow
    4

  • Girl with the Broken Wing, The
    Heather Dyer
    4

  • Christopher Mouse: The Tale of a Small Traveller
    William Wise
    4

  • Super Zeroes
    Rhiannon Lassiter
    3

  • Story of Chocolate, The
    Katie Daynes
    3

  • She's All That! Poems About Girls
    3

  • Outsiders
    Kevin Crossley-Holland
    3

  • Ragwitch, The
    Garth Nix
    2

  • Dawn Undercover
    Anna Dale
    1

Ages 10-14

  • Framed
    Frank Cottrell Boyce
    5

  • Writers and their tall tales
    Tracey Turner
    4

  • Return of Death Eric, The
    Sam Llewellyn
    4

  • Forensics
    Richard Platt
    4

  • Fly By Night
    Frances Hardinge
    4

  • Clay
    David Almond
    4

  • Chasing Vermeer
    Blue Balliett
    4

  • Body
    Richard Walker
    4

  • Fire!; Shouting at the Stars; Witness
    David Orme
    3

  • Walking with the Dead
    Tim Bowler
    3

  • Spirit Walker
    Michelle Paver
    3

  • Blade; Mutant; Respect!; Smoke
    Chris Powling
    3

  • Mrs Marridge Project, The
    Pauline Fisk
    3

  • Jazz A.B.Z
    Wynton Marsalis
    3

  • Jane Austen: The Girl with the Magic Pen!
    Gill Hornby
    3

  • Flush
    Carl Hiaasen
    3

  • Fire Star
    Chris D'Lacey
    3

  • Electric Telepath, The
    Jan Mark
    3

  • Amadans Alert
    Malachy Doyle
    3

  • Aids Orphan: Mary's Story
    Louise Armstrong
    3

  • Riddles of Epsilon, The
    Christine Morton-Shaw
    2

  • Ingo
    Helen Dunmore
    2

  • Arthur and the Minimoys
    Luc Besson
    2

Ages 14+

  • Innocent's Story, The
    Nicky Singer
    5

  • Tell Me What You See
    Zoran Drvenkar
    4

  • Story of Stone, The
    N M Browne
    4

  • Passion Flower Massacre, The
    Nicola Morgan
    4

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.

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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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