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BfK No. 234 - January 2019

This issue’s cover illustration is from A Year of Nature Poems by Joseph Coelho illustrated by Kelly Louise Judd. Thanks to Wide Eyed Editions for their help with this January cover.
Digital Edition
By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 234 January 2019.

BfK No. 234 Articles

Editorial 234

Stories matter, class matters. Guest editorial by author Natasha Carthew

Books of the Year 2019

What we’ll all be reading in 2019, as predicted by leading editors

Books of the Year 2019 continued

What we’ll all be reading in 2019, as predicted by children's books editors

Books of the Year 2019 part three

What we’ll all be reading in 2019, as chosen by the editors

Time for Some Book Blether

Make time for book blether, says Teresa Creminof the Open University

Authorgraph 234: Joseph Coelho

Authorgraph: poet Joseph Coehlo interviewed by Charlotte Hacking

Ten of the Best: books starring children from BAME backgrounds

Ten of the Best books starring children from BAME backgrounds chosen by Farrah Serroukh

Windows into Illustration: Katie Cleminson

Windows into Illustration: Katie Cleminson discusses her approach to illustrating Loved to Bits

Beyond the Secret Garden Rap, Rhythm and Rhyme

The impact of rap, rhythm and rhyme

I Wish I’d Written: Ross Welford

Ross Welford chooses

Good Reads 234

Recommended reading chosen by Charlton Park Academy in London.

‘Book, book!’: Nicholas talks about books

Early reading experiences observed by Virginia Lowe

Obituary Anthea Bell

Anthea Bell remembered by Daniel Hahn

Obituary John Burningham

John Burningham remembered by Clive Barnes

Meeting Mike

Andrew Norriss introduces his latest protagonist

Scallywag Press: new kid on the block

Sarah Pakenham introduces her new list.

Classics in Short No 133: The Unlucky Family by Mrs Henry de la Pasture

Classics in Short No. 133 The Unlucky Family

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR: A Q&A INTERVIEW

Laura Trinder answers our questions on The Midnight Hour.

ELYS DOLAN - OFFICIALLY FUNNY

An interview with the winner of the 2019 Lollies Award for Best Laugh Out Loud picture book

EMER STAMP – LAUGH OUT LOUD FUNNY

An interview with the 2018 Lollies winner

AN INTERVIEW WITH SHARON DOGAR

An interview with the author of Monsters: The Passion and Loss that Created Frankenstein

Editor's Choice

Grandma Bird

Benji Davies

(Simon & Schuster Children's UK)

Noi is spending summer with his grandmother. She lives by herself on a tiny rock and always seems too busy for Noi. So he goes off on an adventure – but will it have a happy ending? Luckily Grandma is there when most needed.

Benji Davies...

When Sadness Comes to Call

Eva Eland

(Andersen Press)

This outstanding picture book approaches the emotion of sadness in a quite unique way. We do not know why the child is feeling sad; the emotion has arrived quite suddenly, with its little suitcase, and appears to be here to stay. The...

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

Under 5s

Grandma Bird

Benji Davies

5
Only One of Me: a Love Letter from Dad

Michelle Robinson
Lisa Wells

5
The Hug

Eoin McLaughlin

5
Hello, Monster!

Clementine Beauvais

4
There’s Room for Everyone

Anahita Teymorian

4
I’ll love you…

Kathryn Cristaldi

4

Ages 5-8

When Sadness Comes to Call

Eva Eland

5
The Hug

Eoin McLaughlin

5
Shhh! Barroux

Barroux

4

Ages 8-10

The Eel Question

Nicola Davies

4
Storm Hound

Claire Fayers

4
Young Heroes

Lula Bridgeport

4
Mossbelly MacFearsome and the Dwarves of Doom

Alex Gardiner

3
The Girl with the Shark’s Teeth

Cerrie Burnell

3
Shiny Pippin and the Broken Forest

Harry Heape

3

Ages 10-14

The Dog Who Saved the World

Ross Welford

5
Seaglass

Eloise Williams

5
Lightning Chase Me Home

Amber Lee Dodd

4
Clownfish

Alan Durant

4
The Peculiar Peggs of Riddling Woods

Samuel J Halpin

4
Lark

Anthony McGowan

4
A Pinch of Magic

Michelle Harrison

4

Ages 14+

On the Come Up

Angie Thomas

5
Paper Avalanche

Lisa Williamson

5
Monsters

Sharon Dogar

5
The Light Between Worlds

Laura Weymouth

4
Little Bird Flies

Karen McCombie

4
Fierce Fragile Hearts

Sara Barnard

4
Tell Me No Truths

Gill Vickery

4
Lark

Anthony McGowan

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.’

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.

IBBY UK has announced that Marcus Sedgwick and David McKee will be the UK nominations for the 2022 Hans Christian Andersen Award.

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)

CLPE Reflecting Realities Report 2020

The six books shortlisted for the 2021 Blue Peter Book Awards have been announced.

Blue Peter Book Award logo

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.

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.

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.

Tom Palmer

Books for Keeps 234 - the children's book magazine online

Digital version – browse, print or download

BfK Newsletter

BfK No. 234 Articles

Editor's Choice

Grandma Bird

New Talent

When Sadness Comes to Call

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 234

Under 5s

Grandma Bird

Only One of Me: a Love Letter from Dad

The Hug

Hello, Monster!

There’s Room for Everyone

I’ll love you…

Ages 5-8

When Sadness Comes to Call

The Hug

Shhh! Barroux

Ages 8-10

The Eel Question

Storm Hound

Young Heroes

Mossbelly MacFearsome and the Dwarves of Doom

The Girl with the Shark’s Teeth

Shiny Pippin and the Broken Forest

Ages 10-14

The Dog Who Saved the World

Seaglass

Lightning Chase Me Home

Clownfish

The Peculiar Peggs of Riddling Woods

Lark

A Pinch of Magic

Ages 14+

On the Come Up

Paper Avalanche

Monsters

The Light Between Worlds

Little Bird Flies

Fierce Fragile Hearts

Tell Me No Truths

Lark

BfK News