CONTENTS 2 Editorial ___________________________________


3 Cornelia Funke on the power of literature in translation


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4 Books for Giving 2016. . . Ferelith Hordon makes Christmas shopping easy


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6 Books of the Year : Selected by regular contributors to Books for Keeps


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8 Authorgraph: Lauren St John interviewed by Nicholas Tucker


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10 Ten of the Best books about refugees chosen by Fen Coles of Letterbox Library


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12 Goodbye Ruby Redfort Lauren Child on the conclusion to the series


14 Inside the Chamber of _________________________________________


Secrets: an interview with Jim Kay


16 Two Children Tell: a Christmas special


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17 I Wish I’d Written… Judi Curtin chooses


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17 Good Reads: selected by pupils at Corby Business Academy


Looking back in publishing has for some time been a problem as the thrust is increasingly to look forward to the new. At one time publishers considered their backlist to be very important, which meant that authors and books were able to maintain a presence over a long period of time, but that has to a great extent disappeared.


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These books are often distinct, and to me that really is important. However, distinct books may not make the bestseller list – or at least become instant bestsellers – which often seems to be the holy grail of the marketing team.


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18 Once upon a Storytelling author and storyteller Lari Don on the appeal of old stories


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19 Reviewers and reviews Books about Children’s Books Under 5s (Pre-School/ Nursery/Infant) 5-8 (Infant/Junior) + Editor’s Choice 8-10 (Junior/Middle 10-14 (Middle/Secondary) 14+ (Secondary/Adult) + New Talent


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32 Classics in Short No. 120 The Little Bookroom


_________________________________________ COVER STORY


This issue’s cover illustration is from The White Giraffe series: Operation Rhino


by Lauren St John.Thanks to Orion Children’s Books for their help with this cover.


Recently, there was an article in the Publisher’s Weekly with the heading ‘Algorithms Could Save Book Publishing – But Destroy the Novel’. Apparently it is possible to identify the key ingredients of a bestseller, which publishers could then apply to manuscripts; writers would just have to comply. This recipe for success is an interesting idea and could be a useful tool. However, as the author of the article pointed out, books should not be chosen in quite the same way as, say, refrigerators, which all look broadly similar and aim to do the same thing. However, sometimes walking through the larger bookstores – or even libraries – the books on show do look very similar: the covers have similar designs, the strap-lines shout the same adjectives and they all claim to be like another bestseller as they each strive for that status. It all gets a bit boring.


The notion of certain ingredients being key in attracting a large readership is not new. It is the basis for much genre fiction, which attracts a loyal and committed readership. It is almost as if ‘the bestseller’ is now a genre of its own. But where does this leave the author whose manuscript does not fit into this category? Many of the books that have stood the test of time have contained an element of risk on the part of creators, suppliers and consumers. Would the


editorial


t’s nearly Christmas, and time to look back over the year that is now almost over.


algorithm have identified a book like Watership Down, for instance? One of the joys of reading is it’s potential to take reader of all ages out of their comfort zone.


Recently there has been a growth in the appearance of new publishers, often very small, and several with very specific lists specialising, for instance, in translated books or illustration. They are providing an interesting counter-balance to the sameness of books produced by some of the more commercial publishing houses.


Committed individuals – librarians, booksellers, reviewers – are crucial in helping readers find more distinctive books, as are prize shortlists such as those for the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway, and the UKLA awards. While the bestseller may well be of interest, readers also need to be encouraged beyond the piles of lookalike books.


As the move away from the local branch library with a local branch librarian continues, and the small bookshop with its roots in the community and a passionate, possibly eccentric owner is increasingly threatened, discovering the different, distinctive author may become more difficult. But it will be worth it! So look at Books for Keeps, go into your local bookshop, pester your local librarian for ideas, and really browse through different books. You could find something truly distinctive – it just might not be what you expected and it might not be a bestseller.


Ferelith Hordon, Editor


Correction: In the September issue, the review of Bee by Britta Teckentrup was wrongly attributed to Jill Bennett (JB). In fact the review is by Clive Barnes (CB).


Books for Keeps


November 2016 No.221 ISSN 0143-909X © Books for Keeps CIC 2016 Editor: Ferelith Hordon Assistant Editor: Ruth Williams Editorial assistant Annabelle Rose Managing Editor: Andrea Reece Design: Louise Millar Editorial correspondence should be sent to Books for Keeps,


c/o The Big Green Bookshop, Unit 1, Brampton Park Road, Wood Green, London N22 6BG


2 Books for Keeps No.221 November 2016


Books for Keeps is available online at www.booksforkeeps.co.uk A regular BfK Newsletter can also be sent by email. To sign up for the Newsletter, go to www.booksforkeeps.co.uk and follow the Newsletter link. If any difficulty is experienced, email addresses can also be sent to enquiries@booksforkeeps.co.uk*


Email: enquiries@booksforkeeps.co.uk


Website: www.booksforkeeps.co.uk *Email addresses will be used by Books for Keeps only for the purpose of emailing the Newsletter and will not be disclosed to third parties.


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