Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal
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booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal
@booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Launched in 1980, we review hundreds of new children’s books each year and publish articles on every aspect of writing for children. Explore new issues and our 40 year archive for free on our website www.booksforkeeps.co.uk
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Out now! BfK276, our first of 2026: Authorgraph interview with Neill Cameron, Alea Marley's Windows into Illustration, new Beyond the Secret Garden, predictions for the coming year & Barry Cunningham reflects on 50 years in children's books🤯#booksky #KidLit

booksforkeeps.co.uk/issue/bfk-27...
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As one of so many bookshops who adore @ellemcnicoll.bsky.social ‘s body of work, this really warms the cockles.
#KidLitUK
January 26, 2026 at 11:32 AM
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1/4 In the most recent @booksforkeeps.bsky.social & during this #NationalYearOfReading, key children’s book world folk anticipate the year ahead…

…and several focus on the primary role ⚡️INCLUSIVE CHILDREN’s BOOKS⚡️ must play-
#KidLitUK

booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/happ...
Happy New Year? What does 2026 have in store? – Books For Keeps
booksforkeeps.co.uk
January 26, 2026 at 11:31 AM
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Reposted by Books for Keeps, the children's books review journal
Friends in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! I am excited to announce that my comic book DONUT SQUAD TAKE OVER THE WORLD is coming to your shores! Publishes October 6, 2026 by First Second / Macmillan @mackidssl.bsky.social! 🍩🇺🇸🍩🇺🇸🍩🇺🇸🍩🇺🇸 find more info and preorder HERE: us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
January 25, 2026 at 6:05 PM
Good event! The Haunted Wood much liked by our reviewer
booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/the-h... @oneworldbooks.bsky.social
January 25, 2026 at 12:23 PM
The NEW #BooksforKeeps Book of the Week comes highly recommended. Don't miss THE MISADVENTURES OF MINA MAHMOOD SCHOOL INSPECTORS - highly entertaining & lots that young readers and their teachers will recognise #booksky #KidLitUK @farshorebooks.bsky.social

booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/the-m...
January 25, 2026 at 12:21 PM
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#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Australian cartoonist Matt Shanks from When the Mountain Wakes, a picturebook with an extraordinarily ambitious timespan about a mountain that wakes after the world ends and watches its regeneration. Clear, touching storytelling. S&S 29 Jan @simonandschuster.bsky.social
January 25, 2026 at 9:05 AM
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We've asked poets we've worked with to share a top writing habit they've found useful in their work.
Today's tip is from Tim Foley, a Stanza rep a Stanza rep from The Write Speak Recover Stanza.
Stanzas are poetry groups run voluntarily by Poetry Society members. Find out more in our bio.
January 24, 2026 at 9:01 AM
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#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Cambridge-based Peruvian illustrator Fatima Ordinola from her picturebook Our Dreams. A cosy bedtime book about sleeping animals. The images, such as these pandas made with chalk pastels, ink & watercolour, induce relaxation. Post Wave 29 Jan @postwavebooks.bsky.social
January 24, 2026 at 7:44 AM
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Our Managing Director Imogen Bond was asked for her hopes as we begin the National Year of Reading - read the full article to find out more about what we have coming up this year, and hear from other key figures within the world of children's books.

⭐️ Thank you @booksforkeeps.bsky.social
January 23, 2026 at 12:00 PM
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#NewIllustrationoftheDay by Olga Shtonda from Nicola Davies's picturebook The Map of Me, about locating yourself in a new place, and about the past and the future. A collage effect composition with fascinating detail, in a beautiful, reassuring book. Templar Books 29 Jan. @templarbooks.bsky.social
January 23, 2026 at 9:09 AM
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The longlist for this year's #BranfordBoaseAward is with our judges: 2025 winner Margaret McDonald, Stephen Dilley @stephenjdilley.bsky.social Anjali Patel of @theclpe.bsky.social & author/critic Katherine Woodfine 🌟

What would make your shortlist? #booksky
branfordboaseaward.org.uk/2026-longlist/
January 23, 2026 at 8:32 AM
Congratulations to the authors & illustrators on the shortlist for the 2026 Information Book Award, celebrating inspiring information books for young people. Schools, join the special Book Club for free resources and books! 🔻
@sla.org.uk @alcs.co.uk #booksky

booksforkeeps.co.uk/shortlist-an...
January 23, 2026 at 8:14 AM
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Bfk 276 January 2026 – Books For Keeps
booksforkeeps.co.uk
January 23, 2026 at 6:53 AM
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The survey is closing on Fri 30th Jan, so get your response in before that of you’re a secondary English teacher and want your views to be counted!
PHENOMENAL response to this from English teachers so far! We'd love to have even more, so keep those responses coming. We'll be able to offer a really good picture of what's happening & what English teachers feel about the teaching of poetry in secondary schools.
English teacher? 5 mins to spare? Your view is essential!

How is poetry being taught in secondary schools today?
We’re mapping the national picture in England & will report on it.

5 minute survey: tinyurl.com/238cz6mu

Supported by Christ Church's Tower Poetry Development Grant​
January 22, 2026 at 5:15 PM
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If you're looking for your next good read, try these recommendations from Mangotsfield C of E Primary School, our 2025 Peter Usborne Primary School Library of the Year. Thank you @booksforkeeps.bsky.social for giving these pupils space to share some of their favourite recent books buff.ly/TOS0PVm 💙
January 22, 2026 at 9:15 AM
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Revealing the 2026 #InformationBookAward longlist! These 29 outstanding information books encourage curiosity and wonder. #Schoollibrarians: register to take part in the #IBABookClub for your chance to win books and shadow the judging process: bit.ly/49T8gMi #awards #BookSky #EduSkyUK 🙌
Information Book Award: Announcing the 2026 Longlist
Announcing the IBA longlist and the 2026 book club opportunity for schools
bit.ly
January 16, 2026 at 3:01 PM
The Oxford Children’s Word of the Year for 2025 is 'peace', though it was narrowly followed by 'AI' and 'resilience.' Find out more, including how #schools can participate in the next Oxford Children’s Word of the Year survey
@oxfordchildrens.bsky.social

booksforkeeps.co.uk/peace-is-oxf...
January 21, 2026 at 10:47 AM
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Huge congratulations to the 24 authors on the longlist for the 2026 #BranfordBoase Award. Set up in memory of author Henrietta Branford, the Branford Boase Award highlights debut authors for children at the beginning of their careers. #booksky #KidLitUK

branfordboaseaward.org.uk/2026-longlist/
January 21, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Congratulations to the authors and editors on the longlist for this year's #BranfordBoase Award. 24 books on what co-founder and chair of the judges, Julia Eccleshare describes as ‘the most varied longlist in the 25 years+ of the Award.’ #booksky

booksforkeeps.co.uk/longlist-ann...
January 21, 2026 at 9:43 AM
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We are pleased to announce the longlist for the 2026 #BranfordBoase Award, recognising the year's outstanding debut writers for children AND their editors 👏#kidlit #booksky

Thank you to @alcs.co.uk & @walkerbooksuk.bsky.social for their support.

branfordboaseaward.org.uk/2026-longlist/
January 21, 2026 at 8:38 AM
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In an incredible twist of time and space magic, it's Wednesday tomorrow.

And that means it's #buyastrangerabookday.

The greatest (and only) of all the stranger related book buying days.

Let's buy strangers books!

www.biggreenbookshop.com/stuff-you-mi...
Buy A Stranger A Book. #buyastrangerabook - Stuff you might like... - Big Green Bookshop. @biggreenbooks on Twitter. Cheese fan. My Mum says hi.
The Big Green Bookshop an independent online bookshop in selling awesome titles by awesome authors to awesome people
www.biggreenbookshop.com
January 20, 2026 at 10:02 PM
Today, @poetrybyheart.bsky.social launches a new timeline of poems for children in KS1. Each poem is accompanied by specially written notes for teachers to help them & their young pupils explore the poem and work up lively ways to perform it out loud. #poetry

booksforkeeps.co.uk/poetry-by-he...
January 20, 2026 at 5:59 PM
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Three weeks today will be #PlimsollDay, Tuesday 10th Feb, a fundraising day for the noble RNLI. It is the birthday of martiime safety campaigner Samuel Plimsoll after whom the shoes are named. Wear your plimsolls/trainers/sneakers on the 10th and donate to the RNLI on justgiving.com/nicolette-jones
January 20, 2026 at 12:07 PM
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1/2 📣Teachers (UK):

We have Wednesday 28th January all mapped out for you.

MORNING
At 11am join #BookTrustRepresents virtual Wkshop with super MG author @maisiechanwrites.bsky.social
Register for free below ⬇️⬇️⬇️
📣 Your chance to bring an author into your classroom!

Our next #BookTrustRepresents virtual workshop is on Wednesday 28 January with the amazing @maisiechanwrites.bsky.social, author of Nate Yu’s Blast from the Past.

Register for free 👇

https://bit.ly/4svETHm
January 20, 2026 at 1:54 PM