CONTENTS MAY 2020
2 Editorial _________________________________________
3 Writing under Lockdown: Matt Brown struggles
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4 Ten essential books for young readers chosen by Frank Cottrell-Boyce
8 Authorgraph: Elizabeth Acevedo interviewed by Nicolette Jones
10 Marvellous Medicine: how to get through the Coronavirus epidemic with children’s books
12 Celebrating with
Editorial May 2020 ________________________________________
6 Windows into Illustration: Mini Grey
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Our March editorial was provided by Gill Lewis who, in a typically thoughtful and interesting piece, advocated the special importance of play for children. Two months on, our world has changed out of all recognition, so many things that we took for granted, including the ability of children to play freely outside or with friends in the playground, are now rationed or simply impossible. Children’s books meanwhile, as a means of providing escape, a sense of hope, an idea of normality, are now more important than ever. Yet those who write, publish and sell them are facing enormous difficulties.
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Bob Hartman: the 25th anniversary of the Lion Storyteller Bible
14 Illustrating Pippi: reimagining Pippi Longstocking
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16 Beyond the Secret Garden: Hoorah for health workers
18 Obituary: Margaret Meek Spencer
20 I Wish: Beverley Birch chooses
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21 Reviewers and reviews List of reviewers Under 5s (Pre-School/Nursery/ Infant) + New Talent 5-8 (Infant/Junior) 8-10 (Junior/Middle) + Ed’s Choice
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10-14 (Middle/Secondary) 14+ (Secondary/Adult)
32 Classics in Short No. 141 Seven Little Australians
_________________________________________ COVER STORY
This issue’s cover illustration is from Pests written and illustrated by Emer Stamp. Thanks to Hodder Children’s Books for their help with this May cover.
We need your support to equip Books for Keeps for the future. To ensure that the magazine can continue to examine, discuss and champion children’s books and authors, simply make a donation via the PayPal button we have embedded on our website.
Books for Keeps
May 2020 No.242 ISSN 0143-909X © Books for Keeps CIC 2016
Managing Editor: Andrea Reece Editorial advisor: Ferelith Hordon Assistant Editor: Eloise Delamere Editorial assistant: Alexia Counsell Design: Louise Millar
Editorial correspondence should be sent to Books for Keeps, 30 Winton Avenue London N11 2AT.
2 Books for Keeps No.242 May 2020
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In a report into authors’ earnings published last year, ALCS raised serious questions about the sustainability of the writing profession, as it revealed that typical earnings are less than £10,500 a year. Many children’s authors rely on fees from school visits to boost their income; many more choose to sell books direct at such events to further supplement their earnings. With schools closed and festivals cancelled, none of that is now possible, and it is impossible to predict what form school visits will take in the future, and whether literary festivals will ever recover from Coronavirus. Many authors are doing great things online for children – see our round up on pages p12-13 – but it’s concerning that they are being asked to provide what they would have been paid for, entirely for free. Congratulations to the organisers of The Big Book Weekend, who paid all participating authors a fee.
Publishers too are under extraordinary pressure with staff working from home or furloughed, and publication schedules emptying as books are moved to Autumn or into 2021, with likely knock on effects down the line. Small publishers are affected the most and last week, independent
publishers Knights Of and Jacaranda Books partnered with Spread The Word writer development agency to create a fundraising campaign to support independent,
diverse
publishing with a target of £100,000. You can find out more – and donate – at Inclusive Indies.
Meanwhile, bookshops too are shut to the general public and who knows what high streets will look like in the months or years ahead. Many are doing sterling work, selling online and hand delivering locally. Though Amazon provides Books for Keeps with some much-needed income, we strongly recommend that you choose to buy your books from a local independent or bricks and mortar bookshop to support them now and ensure they will still be there in the future.
We wish you all the very best and look forward to sharing more positive news in our July issue.
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