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Literature Matters - Literature - Arts

Our regular fiction round-up this time focuses on writing for children. Jan Mark highlights some new fiction for children, focusing on some of the books that may have been over-looked.   

Writing a best-selling children’s book is even more complicated when you have to develop a new language to go with it. Julia Donaldson reveals how she invented Groilish – an idiosyncratic language featured in her new book    

Two of Britain’s leading experts on writing for children explore some of the highs and the lows in the world of children’s literature. Award winning writer Anne Fine suggests that all is not so rosy and voices some concern over the quality of writing for children. Meanwhile critic Nicholas Tucker tracks the development of political correctness in children’s literature.

Crossover fever has hit the book world and suddenly there is the potential for more readers for more books. But Julia Eccleshare has some doubts about bridging the gap between adult and children’s fiction. Meanwhile, Louisa Young aka Zizou Corder has taken crossing over to a whole new level and talks about her successful literary collaboration with her daughter Isabel.   

Karen Mountney, Children’s programme director for the Edinburgh International Book Festival reveals the ins and outs of organizing the 100s of children’s events that sit right at the heart of the book festival’s programme.    

In 2003 Michael Morpurgo was appointed children’s laureate, following hot on the heels of Quentin Blake and Anne Fine. Here he discusses the current state of literature and literacy within the classrooms of British schools – and it's not all good news.    

Augarde, Steve – David Fickling Books 2005 £12.99 ISBN 0-385-60562-5

Augarde, Steve – Corgi Children’s 2004 £5.99 ISBN 0-552-54858-8

Baring-Gould, Sabine – Halsgrove 2002 £6.99 ISBN 1-84114-164-X

Briggs, Raymond – Puffin 2004 £5.99 ISBN 0-14-050350-1

Brooks, Kevin – 2005 £6.99 ISBN 1-904442-39-0

Brooks, Kevin – Chicken House 2004 £6.99 ISBN 1-904442-12-9

Brooks, Kevin – Chicken House 2002 £5.99 ISBN 1-903434-99-8

Dickens, Charles – Penguin 2004 £1.50 ISBN 0-14-062046-X

Dickenson, John – David Fickling Books 2005 £5.99 ISBN 0-552-54886-3

Jeanne DuPrau’s – Yearling Books 2005 £4.99 ISBN 0-552-55238-0

Eidson, Thomas – HarperCollins 2004 £6.99 ISBN 0-00-718176-0

Fonseca, Isabel – Vintage 1996 £8.99 ISBN 0-09-974021-4

Gantos, Jack – Red Fox 2005 £4.99 ISBN 0-09-947587-1

Gantos, Jack – Red Fox 2004 £4.99 ISBN 0-09-945668-0

Gantos, Jack – Corgi 2001 £4.99 ISBN 0-440-86470-4

Gantos, Jack – Corgi 2000 £4.99 ISBN 0-440-86433-X

Gantos, Jack – Corgi 2003 £4.99 ISBN 0-440-86521-2

Gorman, Bartley – Milo Books 2003 £7.99 ISBN 1-903854-16-4

Gribbin, John – Penguin Books 2005 £7.99 ISBN 0-14-100722-2

Haddon, Mark – Vintage 2004 £6.99 ISBN 0-09-945025-9

Hewitt, Paolo – Mainstream 2003 £7.99 ISBN 1-84018-731-X

Hunt, Tristram – Orion 2003 £8.99 ISBN 1-84212-664-4

Johns, Captain W. E. – Red Fox 1993 £3.99 ISBN 0-09-928321-2

King-Smith, Dick – Puffin 2003 £3.99 ISBN 0-14-131600-4

Laird, Elizabeth – Macmillan Children’s 2004 £4.99 ISBN 0-330-43743-7

Levithan, David – Collins 2005 £10.99 ISBN 0-00-719137-5

McKay, Hilary – Hodder Children’s 2002 £5.99 ISBN 0-340-85080-9

McRae, Donald – Mainstream 2005 £7.99 ISBN 1-84018-956-8

Naidoo, Beverley – Collins 1999 £4.99 ISBN

Naidoo, Beverley – Puffin 2004 £5.99 ISBN 0-14-130969-5  

Naidoo, Beverley – Puffin 2004 £4.99 ISBN

Nuland, Sherwin, B – Chatto & Windus 1994 £15.99 ISBN 0-7011-6169-8

Parker, Jefferson – HarperCollins 2003 £6.99 ISBN 0-00-712218-7

Peet, Mal – Walker Books 2003 £4.99 ISBN 0-7445-9025-6

Peet, Mal – Walker Books 2005 £7.99 ISBN 0-7445-6570-7

Penrose, Roger – Vintage 2005 £12.99 ISBN 0-09-944068-7

Pringle, Eric – Bloomsbury 2002 £4.99 ISBN 0-7475-5544-3

Pringle, Eric – 2002 £4.99 ISBN 0-7475-5539-7

Pringle, Eric – 2004 £5.99 ISBN 0-7475-6341-1

Pullman, Philip – Scholastic 1998 £6.99 ISBN 0-590-66054-3

Rowling J.K. – Bloomsbury 2004 £6.99 ISBN 0-7475-7447-2

Stevenson, Robert Louis Puffin 2003 £6.99 ISBN 0-7343-0514-1

Stockin, Jimmy – Mainstream 2001 £7.99 ISBN 1-84018-509-0

Swift, Jonathan – Penguin 2004 £3.99 ISBN 0-14-143949-1

Waugh, Alexander – Headline 2003 £7.99 ISBN 0-7472-6650-6

Whyman, Matt – Hodder Children’s Books 2005 £5.99 ISBN 0-340-88195-X

Whyman, Matt – Hodder Children’s Books 2005 £5.99 ISBN 0-340-88453-3

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