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Books for Keeps 141 - the children's book magazine online

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BfK No. 141 - July 2003

Cover Story
This issue’s cover illustration is from Terry Deary’s The Thief, the Fool and the Big Fat King, illustrated by Helen Flook, from A & C Black’s ‘Tudor Tales’ series. Terry Deary is discussed by Sue Unstead. Thanks to A & C Black for their help with this July cover.

BfK No. 141 Articles

Editorial - July 2003

News and comment from the Editor.
BfK Profile: Terry Deary

Sue Unstead on the UK's leading writer of non-fiction, Terry Deary.
Giving Something Back - the St Lucia Libraries Project

Anne Marley on the St Lucia libraries project.
The Carnegie and Greenaway Medals

Jan Mark and Martin Salisbury on the shortlisted titles.
Authorgraph No.141: Hilary McKay

Hilary McKay interviewed by Stephanie Nettell.
Ways of Being Male

Margaret Meek on masculinities in children's fiction and films.
Hal’s Reading Diary - July 2003

Roger Mills on his son Hal at 28 months.
Signal 1970-2003

Peter Hollindale on 100 Signal issues.
Hans Magnus Enzensberger

The author in conversation with Nicholas Tucker.
BfK Briefing - July 2003

News * Awards * Obituaries
Useful Organisations No.28: Book Aid International

UK support for libraries in sub-Saharan Africa.
I Wish I’d Written... Dear Diary

Allan Ahlberg chooses Sara Fanelli's Dear Diary.
Good Reads: Carnegie Medal Shadowing Schools 2003

Reviews from the Carnegie Shadowing Groups.
Classics in Short No.40: A Swarm in May

Brian Alderson on William Mayne's A Swarm in May.

Editor's Choice

The Little Red Hen: A Deliciously Funny Flap Book
Jonathan Allen
(Corgi Childrens)
5

Allen's dynamically vibrant line and crosshatching together with his vibrant palette convey character and mood with seemingly effortless aplomb in this witty flap book. The sloth, suspicion, greed and selfishness of the Little Red Hen's farmyard...

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New Talent

Inventing Elliot
Graham Gardner
(Orion Childrens)
5

A victim of bullying at his old school, Elliot is determined to reinvent himself at his new school, Holminster. The coolly self-contained mask he presents to the world is so convincing that he is invited to join the Guardians, a sinister group of...

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All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 141

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

Under 5s

  • Nico's Octopus
    Caroline Pitcher
    5

  • Cow
    Malachy Doyle
    5

  • The Little Red Hen: A Deliciously Funny Flap Book
    Jonathan Allen
    5

  • A Chick Called Saturday
    Joyce Dunbar
    5

  • The Wolf who cried Boy
    Bob Hartman
    4

  • Drat That Fat Cat!
    Pat Thomson
    4

  • Marvin Wanted MORE!
    Joseph Theobald
    4

  • My Best Friend, Bob
    Georgie Ripper
    4

  • Blue and Square; Yellow and Round
    Hervé Tulley
    4

  • Imagine you are a Dolphin ¦ Imagine you are a Crocodile ¦ Imagine you are a Tiger
    Karen Wallace
    3

  • Little Lamb: A Soft-to-Touch Book
    Piers Harper
    3

Ages 5-8

  • Bob Robber and Dancing Jane
    Andrew Matthews
    5

  • Ben's Magic Telescope
    Brian Patten
    5

  • The Pea and the Princess
    Mini Grey
    5

  • The Moses Basket
    Jenny Koralek
    4

  • Alfie's Angels
    Henriette Barkow
    3

Ages 8-10

  • Haven't you grown! Poems about families
    5

  • Who was William Shakespeare?; Who was Florence Nightingale?; Who was David Livingstone?
    Rupert Christiansen
    4

  • Badger; Fox
    Michael Leach
    4

  • The Silver Bead
    Helen Dunmore
    4

  • Death and the Arrow
    Chris Priestley
    4

  • Marc Chagall; Georgia O'Keeffe
    Jude Welton
    3

  • Favourite Classic Writers; Favourite Classic Poets
    Nikki Gamble
    3

  • Goodbye, Tommy Blue; Wicked Chickens; The Beast of Crowsfoot Cottage
    Adèle Geras
    3

  • The Unholy Grail
    Anthony Horowitz
    3

  • Eye of the Wolf
    Daniel Pennac
    3

  • Ragweed
    Avi
    2

  • The Adventures of Pinocchio: the story of a puppet
    Carlo Collodi
    2

Ages 10-14

  • The Divide
    Elizabeth Kay
    5

  • Inventing Elliot
    Graham Gardner
    5

  • Encyclopedia of the Human Body
    Richard Walker
    4

  • Stikky Night Skies
    Laurence Holt
    4

  • Fat Boy Swim
    Catherine Forde
    4

  • Hands Up!
    Paul Magrs
    4

  • Something in the Air
    Jan Mark
    4

  • Rocket Science
    Jeanne Willis
    4

  • Bud, Not Buddy
    Christopher Paul Curtis
    3

  • Three Blind Eyes
    Alison Prince
    3

  • Facing the Dark; Carried Away
    Michael Harrison
    3

  • Waiting for Mermaids
    Sue Welford
    3

  • One River Many Creeks: Poems from all around the world
    2

  • Shadow of the Wolf
    Andrew Matthews
    2

Ages 14+

  • Follow Me Down
    Julie Hearn
    5

  • Green Angel
    Alice Hoffman
    5

  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Eating Disorders
    Jo Whelan
    4

  • Poison
    Chris Wooding
    4

  • Lola Rose
    Jacqueline Wilson
    4

  • Coming of Age
    Valerie Mendes
    4

  • You
    Sandra Glover
    4

  • The Crew
    Bali Rai
    3

  • Love, Shelley
    Kate Saksena
    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.’

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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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