Issue 270 of Books for Keeps, the online children’s book magazine includes a great “Authorgraph” interview with Bunny vs. Monkey creator Jamie Smart, conducted by Paul Gravett.
Jamie talks about his career, the success of The Phoenix, and his love of science fiction, including Doctor Who, in a wide ranging and entertaining interview with Paul, revealing some of his creative process along the way.

Plus, Michelle Pauli talks to bestselling author M.G. Leonard about her time-travelling new series, Time Keys, and authors and others reveal their predictions for 2025, including Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Barbara Hayes, Chief Executive ALCS (Authors Licensing and Collecting Society), Kirsty Sullivan, Head of Learning and Participation, at the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, and the team at SAIL festival, a celebration of the best in South Asian children’s illustration and literature. AI, climate change and reading for pleasure are all preoccupations.
It’s become a Books for Keeps tradition for their first issue of the year to include recommendations of the books to read in the months ahead, as selected by their editors. The magazine has another bumper reading list for you for 2025.
We’re also treated to a feature by an award-winning and internationally renowned illustrator, cartoonist and painter Caroline Magerl about her approach to creating her book, Piano Fingers. Her picture books, with her signature use of crosshatching and pen and ink line, capture the innocence of a child’s view of the world, with occasional surreal overtones.
There’s plenty more to enjoy, too, including the regular informative reviews section, and you can either read individual articles from the issue online, or grab a digital download of the magazine from the Books for Keeps web site here.



Books for Keeps was first published in March 1980 and since then has reviewed many thousands of books for young readers, interviewed hundreds of authors and illustrators, and reported on every aspect of children’s literature and the interface between children and their reading.
With six issues a year and interviews, news and reviews published weekly on the website, the Books for Keeps readership is all those people, professional and otherwise, who are interested in the world of children’s literature. This covers teachers, students, publishers, booksellers, librarians, authors and illustrators as well as parents, carers and community groups.
With thanks to Norman Boyd
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The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Art and Illustration, Books, British Comics, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Other Worlds
Something needs to be done to get Jamie Smart to bring back Space Raoul ~ Funday Times/The Dandy – best thing ever. Only one book released and it’s now on Amazon / Ebay for stupid money.
Indeed. For those of you missing the character, here’s Jamie drawing “Space Raoul” over on YouTube, eight years ago – enjoy!