No. 40 Sept. 1986 UK Price £1.15 Books and Television Special Feature: Tony Robinson on TV Storytelling; Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate at work; Adapting The Cuckoo Sister Plus: Lois Duncan • Aliki • Stories in Special Education 2 BOOKS FOR KEEPS No. 40 SEPTEMBER 1986 ADVERTISEMENT 7W0 exciting new titles from bestselling authors Piggybook Isaac Campion ISAAC ANTHONY BROWNE JANNIHOWKER The talented creator of Gorilla and Isaac learns that he must make Willy the Wimp has another his own decisions about life in this M bestseller- a sly yet irresistibly brilliant, uncompromising novel •n funny dig at male chauvinism. A from an award-winning writer of § CO beautiful book that will surprise extraordinary power. E- and delight. tr1 222x 140mm 96pp 0862032709 § 2'84 x210mm 32pp £5.95 I 0862032687 £5.95 PH U Julia MacRae Books 12a Golden Square, London W1R 4BA Telephone: 01-43 7 0713 THE FRANKLIN WATTS GROUP I FABER are Story by Gian Carlo Menotti Words by Ted Hughes AMAHL AND FFANGS THE VAMPIRE BAT THE NIGHT VISITORS AND THE KISS OF TRUTH tuning up Glowing paintings by Michele Lemieux Spirited drawings by Chris Riddell bring to life the story of Menotti's complement this wildly inventive for Christmas Christmas opera, to be performed at fantasy, narrating the adventures of Sadlers Wells in December. Ffangs the failed vampire, who couldn't 0571 100708 £5.95 stand the sight of blood and only wanted to be human. 0 571 13834 1 £5.95 Compiled by John Rhodes CHRISTMAS: A Celebration Selected by Kevin Crossley-Holland Starting with medieval carols, this FOLK-TALES OF seasonal anthology presents a picture of THE BRITISH ISLES Christmas down the centuries with A truly representive anthology that extracts from diaries, novels and plays. draws on the riches of Celtic, English and 0571 137520 £6.95 Norse tradition, and exemplifies the work of many of the great collectors and Words by T.S.Eliot retellers of the 19th and 20th centuries. Pictures by Errol Le Cain With wood-engravings by Hannah GROWLTIGER'S LAST STAND Firmin.0571 137865 £9.95 and Other Poems A wickedly funny picture book version of Gene Kemp three poems from Old Possum's Rook of MR MAGUS Practical Cats, by the winner of the 1985 IS WAITING FOR YOU Kate Greenway Medal. 0 571 13882 9 £5.95 To be published jointly with Thames TV to coincide with a three-part serial in Words by Jeremy Lloyd Words by Walter de la Mare November. CAPTAIN CAT Pictures by Catherine Brighton Cased 0571 146864 about £7.95 AND THE CAROL SINGERS THE VOICE Faber Paperback 0 571 14687 2 £1.95 This joyful Christmas poem introduces a The artist has arranged thirteen poems in JUNIPER: A Mystery selection of favourite carols, plus one a linked sequence that runs from dawn to A fourth story of Cricklepit Combined brand-new carol by Howard Blake. dusk, from spring to winter, and shows School. 0 571 13902 7 £5.95 Pictures in full colour and silhouette by the lives of three children living in a Graham Percy make this a worthy shadowy house by a lake, in a timeless successor to The Woodland Gospels. imaginary world of their own. 0571145418 £7.95 0571139736 £5.95 ff BOOKS FOR KEEPS No. 40 SEPTEMBER 1986 3 ^^^^^•H**P^^^^^^^^^^HHHP^B^^B^^«^^^HM»Mm^^B^^HM Contents Editor's Page A new school year and two national book News and comment from the Editor promotion events on us almost before we can say Kenneth Baker (and check to see Sound and Vision Special what he is up to). The beginning of October sees the start of this year's Children's Book • Ways of Telling Week and a bid by the organisers to get into Tony Robinson talks about storytelling the Guinness Book of Records with the most on television performances in one week of a single play. between television and books— nowadays • Can the Box Match The response to the offer of royalty-free very much a two-way affair. Many of Peter performances for the plays which have been Firmin and Oliver Postdate's original the Book? specially written for CBW by David Wood creations for television have been translated Chris Powling talks to Vivien Alcock and with Dave and Toni Arthur has been very into books. We went to see them in their Paul Stone about The Cuckoo Sister encouraging. Heroes and Heroines, the amazing and delightful studios in Kent • Firmin and Postgate theme of the week, are being celebrated all (page 9). They had just finished Tottie and present... over the country and with the Readathon the Big Wish and we were very surprised to A visit to two very talented film-makers also going strong books should be being hear that (as yet) there are no plans for talked about and read. Hard on the heels of Rumer Godden to turn her screenplay into a Authorgraph No 40 14 CBW comes Teen Read the Book Marketing sequel in book form to The Dolls' House. Lois Duncan Council's latest promotion aimed at getting Peter Firmin's Pinny came to him indirectly teenagers (defined as anyone over 11!) via television but appeared first in books; buying and reading more books. Given the now it seems books will follow the screen Perfecting the Message 16 problems and pitfalls lurking in this Pat Triggs talks to Aliki about notoriously difficult area it's a brave attempt. Information Books Sensibly the BMC abandoned its original It was quite a challenge for Tony Robinson idea that a group of 11+ teenagers should to put his very modern television re-tellings Stories for Special Teenagers 18 provide a list of their favourite books. (What of Odysseus into books - especially as an Thelma Davey assesses the value of fiction about all the books they might have enjoyed integral part of the telling was the locations for her class of young people with special but had never heard of?) Instead a 'Top 100' used for the filming. Tony has some educational needs titles has been created from a combination fascinating things to say about storytelling of publishers' submissions and information and television (page 4). He took me to meet Reviews 21 from booksellers and librarians. On October producer, David Bell, who was busy editing 13th twelve 'young people' will meet to Odysseus. Some of the episodes were News 28 choose their 'Top 20'. We haven't been told already complete so we had a preview. I'd anything about these twelve selectors which, recommend you to make a special effort not to miss this remarkable performance. Tony's Cover Book given what we all know about matching books to readers, must have made it difficult version of Odysseus and the Sirens, for Our cover picture, by Aliki, is taken for publishers to decide what to submit. As it instance, is amazing; it lasts over seven from How a Book is Made (0 370 31003 9, is the list of 100 includes Cormier and minutes and he did it all in one take in a £6.95). Cheerleaders, Forever and My Friend rowing boat attached by a very long rope to Flicka, A-Ha and Mahy, Spitting Image and the jetty at Mevagissey. We are grateful for help from the Lord of the Rings. There's no information Bodley Head in using this illustration. yet about how the twelve went (will go?) about making their choices. Will they be Cover Story given 100 books each? Will they just browse An equal tour de force was the production and take away what tickles their fancy? (If of HABIM (the abbreviated title everyone that's the case this could well tell us most involved gave How a Book is Made). No TV about cover designs and blurb writing.) Will spin-off - this is the book of the calendar! they be expected to read (or at least start) all Aliki, the writer and illustrator is so good at - the magazine of the the titles? How will they agree among in what she calls her 'learning picture books' School Bookshop Association themselves where there is no clear (page 16). As well as 'conventional' consensus? The final selection will be of information books like HABIM, these must SEPTEMBER 1986 No. 40 greater interest and value if we know include the many books Aliki has done ISSN. 0143-909X something of this. Teen Read as a promotion which help particularly young children to Editor: Pat Triggs will run for three weeks with a free 'jazzily learn about themselves; books like Feelings Managing Editor: Richard Hill designed and loudly coloured' magazine and Jack and Jake (which takes an original Designed and Rondale Limited, featuring the Top 100' to support it. After look at being twins). Out this month is the typeset by: Lydney, Glos. the event, BfK is looking at teenage reading latest result of her collaboration with husband Franz Brandenberg. Cock-a- Printed by: Surrey Fine Art Press Ltd, in January; so if you have any comments on Redhill, Surrey Teen Read or observations from your own Doodle-Doo (Bodley Head, 0 370 31004 7, experience, please write. £5.50) is a beautifully designed and © School Bookshop Association 1986 illustrated book for the youngest with a Teen Read - Train Read storyline rooted in animal and human Books for Keeps can be obtained on communication. subscription by sending a cheque or postal By a nice coincidence three of the Top 100 order to the Subscription Secretary, SBA, Teen Read titles are by Lois Duncan, our New Views 1 Effingham Road, Lee, London SE12 8NZ.