Home
  • Home
  • Latest Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Authors & Artists
  • Articles
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Forums
  • Search

Books for Keeps 242 - the children's book magazine online

  • View
  • Rearrange

Digital version – browse, print or download

Can't see the preview?
Click here!

How to print the digital edition of Books for Keeps: click on this PDF file link - click on the printer icon in the top right of the screen to print.

BfK Newsletter

Receive the latest news & reviews direct to your inbox!

BfK No. 242 - May 2020
BfK 242 May 2020

This issue’s cover illustration is from Pests written and illustrated by Emer Stamp. Thanks to Hodder Children’s Books for their help with this May cover.

By clicking here you can view, print or download the fully artworked Digital Edition of BfK 242 May 2020.

BfK No. 242 Articles

Editorial July 2020

Comment from the editor
Is Lockdown the Perfect Time to Write?

Writing under Lockdown: Matt Brown struggles
Ten Essential Children's Books

Ten essential books for young readers chosen by Frank Cottrell-Boyce
Windows into Illustration: Mini Grey

Mini Grey on her book The Bad Bunnies' Magic Show
Authorgraph 242: Elizabeth Acevedo

Elizabeth Acevedo interviewed by Nicolette Jones
Celebrating Bob Hartman and the 25th Anniversary of The Lion Storyteller Bible

25 years of the Lion Storyteller Bible
Marvellous Medicine: how to get through the Coronavirus epidemic with children’s books

The children's authors providing a tonic
More Marvellous Medicine

More fun activities for engagement and entertainment for children during lockdown.
Illustrating Pippi

Reimagining Pippi Longstocking
Beyond the Secret Garden Hooray for Health Workers!

Darren Chetty and Karen Sands-O’Connor raise a cheer for some fictional doctors and nurses
Beyond the Secret Garden: A Round Up

In one place, all the Beyond the Secret Garden articles by Darren Chetty and Karen Sands-O'Connor
Margaret Meek Spencer 1925 – 4 May 2020

Margaret Meek Spencer remembered by Clive Barnes
I Wish I'd Written

Beverley Birch chooses
AN INTERVIEW WITH SHAUN TAN WINNER OF 2020 CILIP KATE GREENAWAY MEDAL

Shaun Tan discusses his book Tales from the Inner City, winner of the 2020 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal with Jake Hope.
Classics in Short No 141: Some Little Men and Women

Seven Little Australians
A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH ALI SPARKES

Ali Sparkes answers our questions on The Night Speakers series.
A Q&A INTERVIEW WITH HOLLY RACE

The author of Midnight's Twins answers our questions.

Editor's Choice

The Girl from the Sea and other stories
Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen
4

...

read more

New Talent

One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller
Kate Read
5

...

read more

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 242

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

Under 5s

  • One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller
    Kate Read
    5

  • Bunnies on the Bus
    Philip Ardagh
    5

  • King of the Classroom
    Derrick Barnes
    4

  • Perdu
    Richard Jones
    4

  • Meet the Planets
    Caryl Hart
    4

  • Hugo
    Atinuke
    4

  • The Bad Day
    Frann Preston-Gannon
    4

  • Everyone's Awake
    Colin Meloy
    4

  • My Mama
    Annemarie van Haeringen
    4

  • Follow Me, Flo!
    Jarvis
    3

Ages 5-8

  • The Tale of a Toothbrush
    M.G. Leonard
    5

  • Bear Shaped
    Dawn Coulter-Cruttenden
    5

  • On Wings of Words
    Jennifer Berne
    5

  • Hello, Crow!
    Candace Savage
    5

  • Frockodile
    Jeanne Willis
    5

  • There's a Crocodile in the House
    Paul Cookson
    4

  • The Lost Book
    Margarita Surnaite
    4

  • Animal Explorers: Lola the Plant Hunter
    Sharon Rentta
    4

  • Hey, Water!
    Antoinette Portis
    4

  • A Book of Bears: At Home with Bears Around the World
    Katie Viggers
    4

  • Another book about bears
    Laura Bunting
    Philip Bunting
    4

  • Midge and Mo
    Lara Williamson
    4

  • Tiny T Rex and the Very Dark Dark
    Jonathan Stutzman
    3

Ages 8-10

  • The House of Hidden Wonders
    Sharon Gosling
    5

  • Agents of the Wild: Operation Honeyhunt
    Jennifer Bell
    5

  • The Story of Inventions
    Catherine Barr
    Steve Williams
    5

  • Super Happy Magic Forest and the Humongous Fungus
    Matty Long
    5

  • The Vanishing Trick
    Jenni Spangler
    4

  • The Girl from the Sea and other stories
    Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen
    4

  • A Kind of Spark
    Elle McNicholl
    4

  • Hope Jones Saves the World
    Josh Lacey
    4

  • Wilde
    Eloise Williams
    4

  • Johnny Ball: Accidental Football Genius
    Matt Oldfield
    3

  • Freddie's Amazing Bakery: The Cookie Mystery
    Harriet Whitehorn
    3

  • Anisha: Accidental Detective
    Serena Patel
    Emma McCann
    3

  • Mermaid School
    Lucy Courtney
    3

Ages 10-14

  • TrooFriend
    Kirsty Appelbaum
    5

  • Chasing Ghosts
    Nicola Pierce
    4

  • Wink
    Rob Harrell
    4

  • Robin Hood
    Robert Muchamore
    4

  • The Vanishing Trick
    Jenni Spangler
    4

  • The Sound of Freedom
    Ann Murtagh
    4

  • Hope against Hope
    Sheena Wilkinson
    4

  • The Infinite
    Patience Agbabi
    4

  • Clean Getaway
    Nic Stone
    3

  • Memoirs of a Basque Cow
    Bernado Atxaga
    3

  • The List of Things That Will Not Change

    Rebecca Stead
    2

Ages 14+

  • The Pieces of Ourselves
    Maggie Harcourt
    4

  • The Falling in Love Montage
    Ciara Smyth
    4

  • A Phoenix First Must Burn
    Patrice Caldwell
    4

  • The Gone Book
    Helena Close
    3

  • Most Likely
    Sarah Watson
    3

  • Burn
    Patrick Ness
    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)

read more...
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

read more...
more
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Help/FAQ
  • My Account