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

Books for Keeps 157 - the children's book magazine online

  • View
  • Rearrange

Digital version – browse, print or download

Books for Keeps is packed with articles, interviews comment and, of course, reviews.

You can read the whole issue online here, for free!

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. 157 - March 2006

Cover Story
This issue’s cover illustration is from John Burningham’s Edwardo. Edwardo is this issue's Editor’s Choice. Thanks to Random House Children’s Books for their help with this March cover.

BfK No. 157 Articles

Editorial - March 2006

News and comment from the Editor.
Retrospective: The Endless Imagination of Joan Aiken

Peter Hollindale explores her legacy.
Going Solo

Sue Unstead on helpful handbooks.
Ted Hughes: Collected Poems for Children

Helen Taylor on the relevance of his work.
Reading Aloud with Michael Rosen

Michael Rosen on ways to children and books together.
Authorgraph No.157: Linda Newbery

Linda Newbery interviewed by Kate Agnew.
Take 3: Children’s Librarians

Revelations from Annie Everall, Ian Dodds and Clive Barnes.
Hal’s Reading Diary - March 2006

Roger Mills on reading and memory.
I Wish I’d Written… Junk

Cathy Hopkins chooses Melvin Burgess' Junk.
Good Reads: Swanmead Middle School, Ilminster, Somerset

Reviews from Swanmead Middle School, Somerset.
BfK Briefing - March 2006

News * Awards * People * Obituaries * Publications * Letters to the Editor
Useful Organisations No.43: Teen Critic

Information on teen critic, Edward Malnick, and a critique on a selection of young adult books.
Classics in Short No.56: My Friend Mr Leakey

Brian Alderson on J B S Haldane's My Friend Mr Leakey.

Editor's Choice

Edwardo
John Burningham
(Jonathan Cape)
5

Edwardo is the roughest, noisiest, nastiest boy in the whole wide world and it is not until some of his misdeeds go wrong (eg he pushes a boy backwards inadvertently saving him from being crushed by a falling lamp) and he finds himself being...

read more

New Talent

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
John Boyne
(David Fickling Books)
3

Described by its author as a fable, this book chronicles events in the life of a nine-year-old Berliner, Bruno, from his own (often mystified) point of view. Bruno knows his father is an important man and that is why the family must leave Berlin...

read more

All Children's Book Reviews in BfK No. 157

  • Under 5s
  • Ages 5-8
  • Ages 8-10
  • Ages 10-14
  • Ages 14+
  • Books About Children's Books

Under 5s

  • While You Are Sleeping
    Alexis Deacon
    5

  • Shoe Baby
    Joyce Dunbar
    5

  • Little Daughter of the Snow
    Arthur Ransome
    5

  • Edwardo
    John Burningham
    5

  • The Toolbox
    Anne Rockwell
    Harlow Rockwell
    5

  • Smiley Shark
    Ruth Galloway
    4

  • Orange Pear Apple Bear
    Emily Gravett
    4

  • Big Black Dog
    Caroline Glicksman
    4

  • Hugs on the Wind
    Marsha Diane Arnold
    Vernise Elaine Pelzel
    4

  • The Very Clever Crocodile
    Jack Tickle
    3

  • Muddlewitch Does Magic Tricks
    Nick Sharratt
    3

  • Little Monkey's One Safe Place
    Richard Edwards
    3

  • Baby Brains Superstar
    Simon James
    3

  • Storytime: First Tales for Sharing
    Stella Blackstone
    3

  • Meerkat Mail
    Emily Gravett
    3

  • Cave-baby and the Mammoth : Sally Sails the Seas : The Sand Dragon : Squelch! : Not-So-Silly Sausage : Nick's Birthday : Out Went Sam : Yummy Scrummy : Countdown! : One Wet Welly : Albert Liked Ladders : Billy on the Ball

    Vivien French
    Lisa Williams
    3

  • Splash! : Zoom!
    Sarah Garland
    2

  • The Starlight Baby
    Gillian Shields
    2

  • How to Build a House : Pip Likes Snow : Bird Watch : Molly is New : A Head Full of Stories : Elephant Rides Again
    Nick Turpin
    Barbara Nascimbeni
    2

Ages 5-8

  • The Princess and the Pea
    Lauren Child
    5

  • Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain
    Edward Ardizzone
    5

  • Dotty Inventions and Some Real Ones Too
    Roger McGough
    5

  • Ice Bear
    Nicola Davies
    5

  • The Boy Who Grew Flowers
    Jen Wojtowicz
    4

  • Dear Bunny
    Michaela Morgan
    4

  • Indian Myths: Stories from ancient civilisations
    Shahrukh Husain
    4

  • The Lonely Tree
    Nicholas Halliday
    3

  • Rita in the Deep Blue Sea
    Hilda Offen
    3

  • Moonlight Mischief (Witch-in-Training)
    Maeve Friel
    3

  • Fig's Giant
    Geraldine McCaughrean
    2

  • Alfie Green and a Sink Full of Frogs : Alfie Green and the Magical Gift
    Joe O'Brien
    2

Ages 8-10

  • The Art Book for Children
    Amanda Renshaw
    Gilda Williams Ruggi
    5

  • The Carnival of the Animals : Poems inspired by Saint-Saens' music
    4

  • Home Front Heroes
    Jon Blake
    Penny McKinlay
    4

  • The Secret Life of Jamie B Hero.Com
    Ceri Worman
    4

  • Spymice - The Black Paw
    Heather Vogel Frederick
    4

  • Pharoah's Egypt
    Mick Manning
    Brita Granström
    4

  • Egyptian Diary: the Journal of Nakht
    Richard Platt
    4

  • ABC USA
    Martin Jarrie
    3

  • Billy Bonkers
    Giles Andreae
    3

  • Molly Moon's Hypnotic Time-Travel Adventure
    Georgia Byng
    3

  • Muslims in Britain
    Fiona Macdonald
    3

  • A Faith Like Mine
    Laura Buller
    3

  • Drift House: The First Vovage
    Dale Peck
    1

Ages 10-14

  • Something Invisible
    Siobhan Parkinson
    5

  • The Survival Game
    Tim Wynne-Jones
    5

  • The Web of Fire
    Steve Voake
    5

  • Blown Away
    Patrick Cave
    5

  • A Single Shard
    Linda Sue Park
    4

  • The Mob (The Crow Chronicles trilogy, Part 1)
    Clem Martini
    4

  • Turbulence
    Jan Mark
    4

  • Spy Girl: The Dark Side of Midnight
    Carol Hedges
    4

  • Malvolio's Revenge
    Sophie Masson
    4

  • CloudWorld
    David Cunningham
    4

  • Storm Thief
    Chris Wooding
    4

  • The Diamond of Drury Lane
    Julia Golding
    4

  • North Child
    Edith Pattou
    4

  • Chill Factor
    Vincent McDonnell
    3

  • The Lady Grace Mysteries: Gold
    Janet Burchett
    Sara Vogler
    3

  • The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
    John Boyne
    3

  • Powder Monkey
    Paul Dowswell
    3

  • House of Spies
    Griselda Gifford
    2

  • Ouch!
    Steve Cole
    2

Ages 14+

  • The Garden
    Elsie V Aidinoff
    5

  • Tamar
    Mal Peet
    5

  • The Magicians' Guild ; The Novice
    Trudi Canavan
    3

Books About Children's Books

  • Winning Books
    Ruth Allen
    3

  • Into the Wardrobe: C S Lewis and the Narnia Chronicles
    David C Downing
    3

BfK News

CRESSIDA COWELL LAUNCHES NEW LAUREATE INITIATIVE IN SUPPORT OF SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND CALLS ON PM TO ACT

‘How can a child become a reader for pleasure if their parents or carers cannot afford books, and their primary school has no library, or that library is woefully insufficient?’

Life-changing Libraries logo

read more...
SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2021 UKLA BOOK AWARDS

UKLA Book Awards logo

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