Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
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booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
@booksforkeeps.bsky.social
2K followers 1.3K following 260 posts
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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booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Essential reading: the new @theclpe.bsky.social Reflecting Realities Survey is published today & offers much food for thought. The vital work of ensuring all readers can access a breadth of quality inclusive & representative literature is far from done. Read more booksforkeeps.co.uk/8th-annual-c...
The cover of the new Reflecting Realities Survey of Ethnic Representation in UK Children's Literature 2024. Cover image of young children sitting at a table by Yasmeen Ismail. Graphic with illustration by Yasmeen Ismail demonstrating the percentage of Children's Books Published featuring Racially Minoritised Characters. From CLPE's invaluable Reflecting Realities Survey.
November 14, 2025 at 9:38 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Out now! #BfK275, our seasonal special & it's a bumper issue: Books of the Year, unmissable gift guides incl #poetry & non-fiction. Authorgraph interview with Christopher Edge, Petr Horacek Windows into #Illustration, Nicolette Jones interviews Lauren Child 🎁🎁🎁

booksforkeeps.co.uk/issue/bfk-27...
Cover of the November issue of Books for Keeps featuring artwork by Lauren Child from her new book I am Wishing Every Minute for Christmas, listing the contents including Authorgraph interview with Christopher Edge, Windows into Illustration with Petr Horacek, and our unmissable Christmas gift guides.
November 13, 2025 at 5:28 PM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Mei Matsuoka, Pragya Agarwal & Phyllis Ramage are judges for the 2026 IBC Awards. Worth £30,000 @ibc-reads.bsky.social Awards recognise UK children’s book authors & illustrators whose books authentically reflect the diverse backgrounds & experiences of readers.
booksforkeeps.co.uk/pragya-agarw...
November 10, 2025 at 6:45 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
ICYMI, our new Book of the Week is perfect for Non Fiction November: WHAT IF EVERY VOLCANO ERUPTED AT ONCE? Don't miss for the answer to this and 32 other all-important questions @dkbooks.bsky.social #Booksky

booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/what-...
The cover of What if Every Volcano Erupted at Once and other amazing Earth questions by Emma Young, illustrated by Super Freak. BfK Book of the Week logo
November 9, 2025 at 4:45 PM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
The 2026 #KlausFluggePrize is underway: submissions are open (publishers have until 14 January to get their entries in) and look at this stellar panel of judges 👀
#illustration #picturebooks #KidLit
booksforkeeps.co.uk/eleventh-kla...
Graphic with photos of the judges for the 2026 Klaus Flugge Prize, awarded to the most promising and exciting newcomer to picture book illustration. The 2026 judges are 2025 Klaus Flugge Prize winner Emma Farrarons; award-winning and hugely popular illustrator Rob Biddulph; Shelley Jackson, course director for the internationally renowned MA in Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University; and Vanessa Lewis, co-owner of independent children’s bookshop The Book Nook in Hove.
November 6, 2025 at 9:05 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Nominations have been announced for the 2026 Carnegie Medals @carnegiemedals.bsky.social. This year 62 books are in contention for the Carnegie Medal for Writing and 65 for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration. Are your favourites here? #Carnegies2026 #KidLit

booksforkeeps.co.uk/nominations-...
November 3, 2025 at 9:15 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
"a hugely enjoyable and original story" 5⭐ for our NEW Book of the Week, DIRK JONES IS NOT THE CHOSEN ONE by Gatlin Perrin @fireflypress.bsky.social #KidLit booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/dirk-...
November 1, 2025 at 5:00 PM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
The @ibbyuk.bsky.social committee has revealed the books chosen as this year's UK Honour Books, including books in Welsh alongside books in English. This is the first time books in Welsh have been included. #KidLitUK

booksforkeeps.co.uk/ibby-uk-anno...
October 29, 2025 at 3:28 PM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
In a return to the world of Wiskling Wood, first explored in her VICTORIA STITCH stories, Harriet Muncaster introduces a brand new character, Wiska Wildflower. Book 1 is our NEW Book of the Week and there's a bonus author Q&A.@oxfordchildrens.bsky.social #KidLit
booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/the-d...
Cover of the new book The Diary of Wiska Wildflower The New School by Harriet Muncaster. It shows little Wiska on her way to school on a flower. She has stripy tights, ribbons in her hair and pointed ears. A photograph of author Harriet Muncaster. Her long hair is died bright pink at the ends and she's wearing a headress of pretty pink flowers.
October 26, 2025 at 9:59 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
📢The Children's Booker Prize will launch in 2026, celebrating the best contemporary fiction for children aged 8-12, written in or translated into English. Frank Cottrell-Boyce to judge with 3 children involved in choosing the winner. Prize pot over £50k. #KidLitUK
booksforkeeps.co.uk/childrens-bo...
Logo for the Children's Booker Prize which is supported by the AKO Foundation. Photograph of a smiling Frank Cottrell-Boyce, current Waterstones Children's Laureate and Chair of judges for the inaugural Children's Booker Prize.
October 24, 2025 at 7:47 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Jamie Carroll is one to watch. His debut picturebook, MILO AND THE MOUNTAIN is the NEW #BfK Book of the Week #KidLit @theobrienpress.bsky.social

booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/milo-...
The cover of Milo and the Mountain, written and illustrated by Jamie Carroll, published bt the O'Brien Press. Milo is slighty in the foreground, standing in his mountain climbing gear with his cat friend in between his feet. The Mountain is centre however.
October 18, 2025 at 3:58 PM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Congratulations to the winners & all those highly commended in The HarperCollins Reading for Pleasure Awards 2025. Find out who has been crowned & how they have built a reading community in their school or library. 👏 #EduSky @openuni-rfp.bsky.social

booksforkeeps.co.uk/58089-2/
October 18, 2025 at 11:15 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Final warning! You have until midnight tonight 17 October to apply for a FREE place @ibbyuk.bsky.social conference Whose History 8 November via our special offer.

Find out more, and get your entry in🤞#KidLitUK
booksforkeeps.co.uk/books-for-ke...
Graphic advertising the IBBY 2025 Conference Whose History? Challenging historical narratives through writing for children and young people.
October 17, 2025 at 9:45 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Interesting new research by @oxfordunipress.bsky.social reveals the extent to which young people are using AI in their schoolwork. The report also examines their attitudes to it. #EduSky

booksforkeeps.co.uk/new-oup-rese...
Cover of new Oxford University Press report Teaching the AI-Native Generation. It shows a young student working on a laptop wearing headphones.
October 15, 2025 at 8:04 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Not long until @ibbyuk.bsky.social conference 8 November, even less time to apply for a FREE place via our special offer. Find out more, and enter by Friday 17 October🤞#KidLitUK

booksforkeeps.co.uk/books-for-ke...
Graphic advertising the Ibby UK Conference 2025 title Whose History? Challenging historical narratives through writing for children and young people.
October 14, 2025 at 4:47 PM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
'Images of the Great Bear in her watery green world are awe-inspiring, Booker’s illustrations creating a real sense of size, strength & power.' Annie Booker's striking debut picture book, THE GREAT BEAR, is the new #BfK Book of the Week #KidLitUK

booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/the-g...
October 12, 2025 at 9:00 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
We were delighted to catch up with Adam Stower to chat about his charming series, MURRAY AND BUN! Book four, Murray the Ghosthunter is out now.

Read the interview & find out why he feels these are the most ‘me’ of all his books @HarperCollinsCh #KidLitUK

booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/bein...
A photograph of author and illustrator Adam Stower. He is wearing a blue shirt, smiling into the camera, has a beard and wears glasses. The cover of Murray and Byn! Murray the Ghosthunter by Adam Stower. It shows Murray (a cat) in his ghost hunting gear (quite Sherlock Holmes) with Bun next to him. Bun is saying 'Bun!'
October 10, 2025 at 4:11 PM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Recommended reading & particularly on #WorldSightDay, ELLA JONES VS THE BATTLE NOISE, latest in Lucy Edwards' mythology inspired adventures starring 12 year old Ella. Ella, like Lucy, is blind. Reviewed by #BfK reviewer Rebecca Butler. @scholasticuk.bsky.social

booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/ella-...
October 9, 2025 at 5:45 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
New @ibc-reads.bsky.social Excluded Voices report 'highlights the huge missed opportunity to show children, through high-quality, authentic storytelling, that everybody belongs and everybody adds value to society.’

booksforkeeps.co.uk/inclusive-bo...
October 8, 2025 at 6:45 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
The #BranfordBoaseAward, 'a barometer of developments in children’s books' opens for submissions today with the announcement of this year's panel of judges. They will be led by 2025 winner Margaret McDonald. #writing #editing #KidLitUK

booksforkeeps.co.uk/margaret-mcd...
Graphic with photographs of the four judges of this year's Branford Boase Award, awarded to author and editor of the year's outstanding debut novel for children and young people. They are Anjali Patel, Katherine Woodfine, Margaret McDonald and Stephen Dilley. The award is supported by ALCS and Walker Books.
October 7, 2025 at 6:48 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Date for the diary, #comics fans: the 2026 Phoenix Fest will take place in Oxford 25-26 April, a weekend of interactive fun & community with live comic artist shows, draw-a-longs & meet the artist sessions. Tickets on sale January @dfbstoryhouse.bsky.social

booksforkeeps.co.uk/the-phoenix-...
Photo of young people enjoying an event at a Phoenix Fest Photograph of smiling young comics enthusiast watching Neill Cameron drawing at a Phoenix Comics Festival.
October 6, 2025 at 9:19 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Lovers of gentle romance (and cake) will find our new #BookoftheWeek a delicious treat. Sit down with a cup of tea and enjoy ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT by Méabh McDonnell 🍰 @theobrienpress.bsky.social

booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/any-w...
October 5, 2025 at 2:00 PM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
If you’ve got a teenager in your home – or 30 in your classroom – you know how hard it can be getting young people to open up about ‘difficult’ subjects. Tia Fisher has a suggestion: use stories as a springboard. NEW in #BfK274 @tiafisher.bsky.social #KidLitUK
booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/spri...
October 5, 2025 at 9:00 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Watch an exclusive excerpt from the forthcoming feature documentary on Poetry By Heart @poetrybyheart.bsky.social and be inspired by the power of #poetry this #nationalpoetryday ♥️

The competition opens today, participation and access to resources is free booksforkeeps.co.uk/poetry-by-he...
Cover from Poetry By Heart the Movie with young girl, seen from the back, onstage at Shakespeare's Globe London. She is taking part in the Grand Finale of Poetry By Heart. Poetry By Heart badges
October 2, 2025 at 6:21 AM
booksforkeeps.bsky.social
Huge congratulations to Sarah Hagger-Holt who has won the #LittleRebelsAward for an unprecedented second time, this time with THE FIGHTS THAT MAKE US. 🎉👏 @littlerebsprize.bsky.social #UKKidLit

booksforkeeps.co.uk/sarah-hagger...
October 1, 2025 at 8:15 PM