Books for Keeps, the online 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
Pinned
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...
booksforkeeps.co.uk/issue/bfk-27...
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
I spent #NationalIllustrationDay with illustrator Helen Oxenbury at the Harley Gallery in Nottinghamshire, where the glorious exhibition of her work continues until 4 January.
November 28, 2025 at 8:58 PM
I spent #NationalIllustrationDay with illustrator Helen Oxenbury at the Harley Gallery in Nottinghamshire, where the glorious exhibition of her work continues until 4 January.
Each page gifts young readers fascinating facts & while this provides perfect December reading, it will be enjoyed throughout the year.
5 #Christmas 🌟 for our new Book of the Week, AN ANTHOLOGY OF CHRISTMAS Auriol Bishop published by @dkbooks.bsky.social🎁#BookSky booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/an-an...
5 #Christmas 🌟 for our new Book of the Week, AN ANTHOLOGY OF CHRISTMAS Auriol Bishop published by @dkbooks.bsky.social🎁#BookSky booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/an-an...
November 28, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Each page gifts young readers fascinating facts & while this provides perfect December reading, it will be enjoyed throughout the year.
5 #Christmas 🌟 for our new Book of the Week, AN ANTHOLOGY OF CHRISTMAS Auriol Bishop published by @dkbooks.bsky.social🎁#BookSky booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/an-an...
5 #Christmas 🌟 for our new Book of the Week, AN ANTHOLOGY OF CHRISTMAS Auriol Bishop published by @dkbooks.bsky.social🎁#BookSky booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/an-an...
"Wonder is the first of all passions" Descartes
For #NationalIllustrationDay25 and #nonfictionNovember, Kate Winter writes about connecting readers with the past in her picture books incl THE CAVE EXPLORER @puffinbooksuk.bsky.social #KidLitUK
booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/tell...
For #NationalIllustrationDay25 and #nonfictionNovember, Kate Winter writes about connecting readers with the past in her picture books incl THE CAVE EXPLORER @puffinbooksuk.bsky.social #KidLitUK
booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/tell...
November 28, 2025 at 11:15 AM
"Wonder is the first of all passions" Descartes
For #NationalIllustrationDay25 and #nonfictionNovember, Kate Winter writes about connecting readers with the past in her picture books incl THE CAVE EXPLORER @puffinbooksuk.bsky.social #KidLitUK
booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/tell...
For #NationalIllustrationDay25 and #nonfictionNovember, Kate Winter writes about connecting readers with the past in her picture books incl THE CAVE EXPLORER @puffinbooksuk.bsky.social #KidLitUK
booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/tell...
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
A pause from the wintry #newillustrationoftheday images to draw attention to Helen Oxenbury’s current exhibition at the Harley Gallery in Nottinghamshire and the fact that she and I will be in conversation at noon at the gallery tomorrow (28th). Here are the grandmothers from Trish Cooke’s So Much.
November 27, 2025 at 8:10 AM
A pause from the wintry #newillustrationoftheday images to draw attention to Helen Oxenbury’s current exhibition at the Harley Gallery in Nottinghamshire and the fact that she and I will be in conversation at noon at the gallery tomorrow (28th). Here are the grandmothers from Trish Cooke’s So Much.
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
‘Beautifully transformative books’ recognised in the School Library Association’s annual celebration of information books. Congratulations to the winners and to all the young people who voted 👏 💐 @sla.org.uk
booksforkeeps.co.uk/school-libra...
booksforkeeps.co.uk/school-libra...
November 27, 2025 at 7:03 PM
‘Beautifully transformative books’ recognised in the School Library Association’s annual celebration of information books. Congratulations to the winners and to all the young people who voted 👏 💐 @sla.org.uk
booksforkeeps.co.uk/school-libra...
booksforkeeps.co.uk/school-libra...
November 27, 2025 at 5:00 PM
‘Beautifully transformative books’ recognised in the School Library Association’s annual celebration of information books. Congratulations to the winners and to all the young people who voted 👏 💐 @sla.org.uk
booksforkeeps.co.uk/school-libra...
booksforkeeps.co.uk/school-libra...
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
We’re the very lucky people who got to interview @lawrencepatrice.bsky.social for @booksforkeeps.bsky.social to mark her Nero Book Awards shortlisting.
Patrice’s energy for gathering stories and telling them across genres & age range is phenomenal.
Feeling very nourished!
Patrice’s energy for gathering stories and telling them across genres & age range is phenomenal.
Feeling very nourished!
November 27, 2025 at 1:13 PM
We’re the very lucky people who got to interview @lawrencepatrice.bsky.social for @booksforkeeps.bsky.social to mark her Nero Book Awards shortlisting.
Patrice’s energy for gathering stories and telling them across genres & age range is phenomenal.
Feeling very nourished!
Patrice’s energy for gathering stories and telling them across genres & age range is phenomenal.
Feeling very nourished!
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
Tracy McKechnie and Liz Gunn from Kent Prison #Libraries won our Reading Award back in 2023 for innovative use of technology at HMP Swaleside.
If you know of an individual or team doing brilliant #Reading work, nominate them for our 2026 Awards.
www.librariesconnected.org.uk/projects/lib...
If you know of an individual or team doing brilliant #Reading work, nominate them for our 2026 Awards.
www.librariesconnected.org.uk/projects/lib...
November 26, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Tracy McKechnie and Liz Gunn from Kent Prison #Libraries won our Reading Award back in 2023 for innovative use of technology at HMP Swaleside.
If you know of an individual or team doing brilliant #Reading work, nominate them for our 2026 Awards.
www.librariesconnected.org.uk/projects/lib...
If you know of an individual or team doing brilliant #Reading work, nominate them for our 2026 Awards.
www.librariesconnected.org.uk/projects/lib...
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
Another wintry #NewIllustrationoftheDay, a minimalist snowy spread with a sense of depth by Matt Hunt from How to Find a Yeti, in which the sharp-eyed can spot the outline of a yeti louring over the distant row of grey trees. The paperback published this autumn by Nosy Crow. @nosycrow.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Another wintry #NewIllustrationoftheDay, a minimalist snowy spread with a sense of depth by Matt Hunt from How to Find a Yeti, in which the sharp-eyed can spot the outline of a yeti louring over the distant row of grey trees. The paperback published this autumn by Nosy Crow. @nosycrow.bsky.social
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
SCHOOLS GIVEAWAY ends TOMORROW 5pm.
And it’s an exceptional one 🤗
And it’s an exceptional one 🤗
1/2 ⭐️SCHOOLS!
⭐️BOOK PACK #giveaway
Author @sophieanderson.bsky.social is kindly gifting 1 UK-based Primary School a Reflecting Realities Book Pack.
TO ENTER:
1] follow
2] reply “ ⛄️ ”
3] sign up to our quarterly newsletter letterboxlibrary.com/subscribers
CLOSES 5PM 26th November
#KidLitUK
…
⭐️BOOK PACK #giveaway
Author @sophieanderson.bsky.social is kindly gifting 1 UK-based Primary School a Reflecting Realities Book Pack.
TO ENTER:
1] follow
2] reply “ ⛄️ ”
3] sign up to our quarterly newsletter letterboxlibrary.com/subscribers
CLOSES 5PM 26th November
#KidLitUK
…
November 25, 2025 at 11:56 AM
SCHOOLS GIVEAWAY ends TOMORROW 5pm.
And it’s an exceptional one 🤗
And it’s an exceptional one 🤗
Poetry By Heart @poetrybyheart.bsky.social has opened its annual Festive Showcase, an advent calendar of seasonal poems perfect to learn by heart, share and perform aloud. This year’s list features not the usual 24, but 31 poems, one for each day of December #Poetry
poetrybyheart.org.uk/showcase/8
poetrybyheart.org.uk/showcase/8
November 25, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Poetry By Heart @poetrybyheart.bsky.social has opened its annual Festive Showcase, an advent calendar of seasonal poems perfect to learn by heart, share and perform aloud. This year’s list features not the usual 24, but 31 poems, one for each day of December #Poetry
poetrybyheart.org.uk/showcase/8
poetrybyheart.org.uk/showcase/8
Could you play a strategic role in supporting and enhancing the vital services delivered by the library, knowledge, and information profession as a member of #CILIP's new Intellectual Freedom Committee?
Find out more: www.cilip.org.uk/news/713670/...
Find out more: www.cilip.org.uk/news/713670/...
November 25, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Could you play a strategic role in supporting and enhancing the vital services delivered by the library, knowledge, and information profession as a member of #CILIP's new Intellectual Freedom Committee?
Find out more: www.cilip.org.uk/news/713670/...
Find out more: www.cilip.org.uk/news/713670/...
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
Our #BlackFriday sale is now on! 🖤 📚
Enjoy 25% off children's and YA books with the code 'BF25' - only at littleisland.ie until 2 Dec 2025.
#books #BlackFriday2025 #BlackFridayDeals #childrensbooks #kidsbooks #YAbooks #booksale #bookstagram #booktok
Enjoy 25% off children's and YA books with the code 'BF25' - only at littleisland.ie until 2 Dec 2025.
#books #BlackFriday2025 #BlackFridayDeals #childrensbooks #kidsbooks #YAbooks #booksale #bookstagram #booktok
November 25, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Our #BlackFriday sale is now on! 🖤 📚
Enjoy 25% off children's and YA books with the code 'BF25' - only at littleisland.ie until 2 Dec 2025.
#books #BlackFriday2025 #BlackFridayDeals #childrensbooks #kidsbooks #YAbooks #booksale #bookstagram #booktok
Enjoy 25% off children's and YA books with the code 'BF25' - only at littleisland.ie until 2 Dec 2025.
#books #BlackFriday2025 #BlackFridayDeals #childrensbooks #kidsbooks #YAbooks #booksale #bookstagram #booktok
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Guy Parker-Rees from a new board book edition of Giraffes Can’t Dance: Jingle Bells, with text by Giles Andreae. Anthropomorphic drawing that looks casual but convincingly gives animals unlikely moves. Orchard Books. @hachetteuk.bsky.social @guyparkerrees.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 7:39 AM
#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Guy Parker-Rees from a new board book edition of Giraffes Can’t Dance: Jingle Bells, with text by Giles Andreae. Anthropomorphic drawing that looks casual but convincingly gives animals unlikely moves. Orchard Books. @hachetteuk.bsky.social @guyparkerrees.bsky.social
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
It’s still non-fiction November, and a good time to remember that LOTS of children actually prefer non-fiction to fiction and LOVE the sort of information they can learn from a book like this.
Did you know a "jiffy" is a real unit of time? Physicists define it as the time it takes light to travel a distance of one femtometre, which is a millionth of a millionth of a millimetre. This was my co-author's favourite fact she learned from working on "About Time". Read more in this interview:
About Time by Alom Shaha and Rebecca Struthers
We welcome co-authors Alom Shaha and Rebecca Struthers to the blog in an interview style format! Gain some insight into their work on About Time. Rebecca
fcbg.org.uk
November 25, 2025 at 7:39 AM
It’s still non-fiction November, and a good time to remember that LOTS of children actually prefer non-fiction to fiction and LOVE the sort of information they can learn from a book like this.
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
⭐"A story of refugee and asylum stands out on several counts... full humanity...strength, dignity and warmth" #BfK275 p27
⭐Thank you Fen Coles @letterboxlibrary.bsky.social @booksforkeeps.bsky.social brilliant review of
KENDE! KENDE! KENDE! by Kirsten Cappy, Yaya Gentille, @rahanabanana.bsky.social
⭐Thank you Fen Coles @letterboxlibrary.bsky.social @booksforkeeps.bsky.social brilliant review of
KENDE! KENDE! KENDE! by Kirsten Cappy, Yaya Gentille, @rahanabanana.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 1:16 PM
⭐"A story of refugee and asylum stands out on several counts... full humanity...strength, dignity and warmth" #BfK275 p27
⭐Thank you Fen Coles @letterboxlibrary.bsky.social @booksforkeeps.bsky.social brilliant review of
KENDE! KENDE! KENDE! by Kirsten Cappy, Yaya Gentille, @rahanabanana.bsky.social
⭐Thank you Fen Coles @letterboxlibrary.bsky.social @booksforkeeps.bsky.social brilliant review of
KENDE! KENDE! KENDE! by Kirsten Cappy, Yaya Gentille, @rahanabanana.bsky.social
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
Going to try and send out a newsletter every Sunday now, let’s see how long I manage. Is Sunday a terrible day to send out a newsletter, let’s find out. Anyway, ICYMI:
A round-up of Exciting News, International Developments and Good Comics recommendations over on this week’s substack! open.substack.com/pub/neillcam...
¡Conquistar el mundo!
One European nation at a time.
open.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Going to try and send out a newsletter every Sunday now, let’s see how long I manage. Is Sunday a terrible day to send out a newsletter, let’s find out. Anyway, ICYMI:
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
Books are great Christmas presents.
Easy to wrap.
Low in calories.
Usually somewhere in that not terrible £10-£20 bracket.
Available in many colours.
Can be posted easily (unlike a hoover or two hoovers for example)
Personal to both you and the recipient.
Available to buy from me.
Easy to wrap.
Low in calories.
Usually somewhere in that not terrible £10-£20 bracket.
Available in many colours.
Can be posted easily (unlike a hoover or two hoovers for example)
Personal to both you and the recipient.
Available to buy from me.
November 23, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Books are great Christmas presents.
Easy to wrap.
Low in calories.
Usually somewhere in that not terrible £10-£20 bracket.
Available in many colours.
Can be posted easily (unlike a hoover or two hoovers for example)
Personal to both you and the recipient.
Available to buy from me.
Easy to wrap.
Low in calories.
Usually somewhere in that not terrible £10-£20 bracket.
Available in many colours.
Can be posted easily (unlike a hoover or two hoovers for example)
Personal to both you and the recipient.
Available to buy from me.
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
Old Oak Tree, Valerie Greeley.
November 22, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Old Oak Tree, Valerie Greeley.
The new #BfK Book of the Week is ROAD TO TRUE NORTH by Sarah Holding #KidLit #BookSky
booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/road-...
booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/road-...
November 22, 2025 at 2:08 PM
The new #BfK Book of the Week is ROAD TO TRUE NORTH by Sarah Holding #KidLit #BookSky
booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/road-...
booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/road-...
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
✏️PENCILS AT THE READY, TEAM! In this brand new episode of #DrawWithRob we're drawing a BLOBFISH 🐟! So grab some paper and something to draw with and let's do this! Remember to share your pictures using the #DrawWithRob hashtag. GOOD LUCK!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbr5...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbr5...
#DrawWithRob 187 Blobfish
YouTube video by Draw With Rob
www.youtube.com
November 22, 2025 at 10:05 AM
✏️PENCILS AT THE READY, TEAM! In this brand new episode of #DrawWithRob we're drawing a BLOBFISH 🐟! So grab some paper and something to draw with and let's do this! Remember to share your pictures using the #DrawWithRob hashtag. GOOD LUCK!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbr5...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbr5...
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
My piece in The Sunday Times about toys that come to life. Considering The Velveteen Rabbit & Other Classic Children’s Stories, my selection for Macmillan Collector’s Library. ‘What Buzz Lightyear owes to the Velveteen Rabbit.’ @panmacmillan.bsky.social @thetimes.com www.thetimes.com/culture/book...
November 21, 2025 at 8:36 AM
My piece in The Sunday Times about toys that come to life. Considering The Velveteen Rabbit & Other Classic Children’s Stories, my selection for Macmillan Collector’s Library. ‘What Buzz Lightyear owes to the Velveteen Rabbit.’ @panmacmillan.bsky.social @thetimes.com www.thetimes.com/culture/book...
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
Sometimes you immediately hit upon a cover design that works. Other times, it takes a while to get there. I made over thirty cover designs for I FOLLOW THE FOX. Here is the very first attempt (made before I even wrote the book), one from the middle of the process and, finally, the eventual winner.
November 20, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Sometimes you immediately hit upon a cover design that works. Other times, it takes a while to get there. I made over thirty cover designs for I FOLLOW THE FOX. Here is the very first attempt (made before I even wrote the book), one from the middle of the process and, finally, the eventual winner.
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
Congratulations to Jamila Gavin, Patrice Lawrence, Struan Murray and Jenny Pearson, shortlisted in the Children's Fiction category of the still new but already prestigious Nero Book Awards 🎉 👏 🎆 🎉 #KidLitUK #bookawards
booksforkeeps.co.uk/nero-book-aw...
booksforkeeps.co.uk/nero-book-aw...
November 20, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Reposted by Books for Keeps, the online children's books review journal
Not been a great week so far but some good news this morning from my Australian publisher - there will be Chinese and Taiwanese editions of "How to Find a Rainbow". Wonderful that even a few years after publication (written during Covid for my daughters) it is finding new audiences.
How To Find a Rainbow
“This charming story can be read on two levels – that of two sisters in search of a physical rainbow and that of emerging from a gloomy emotional episode and beginning to find joy again. It …
alomshaha.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:48 AM
Not been a great week so far but some good news this morning from my Australian publisher - there will be Chinese and Taiwanese editions of "How to Find a Rainbow". Wonderful that even a few years after publication (written during Covid for my daughters) it is finding new audiences.