photo courtesy of BookTrust
This week John Agard became the first poet to receive BookTrust’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The award celebrates the body of work of an author and/or illustrator who has made an outstanding contribution to children’s literature. The judges highlighted John’s persistence and creativity in championing and challenging the language norms that too often dominate literature and the curriculum, as well as his ability to connect with children.
On receiving the award, John Agard said, “It means a lot to be given this award by BookTrust – an organisation which treasures books and tries to make them part of a life-enhancing experience for a child. It excites me that I’m the first poet to win. I feel happy that I’ve stuck with this craft since I was a 16-year-old boy writing in a classroom in a Caribbean ex-colony. It’s not just me receiving this award, but all the people that inspired me. People like my teacher Father Maxwell, the people who published my books, those who contributed to my journey way back in the Caribbean, and John Arlott, the legendary cricket commentator who inspired me with his words.”
The judges for the 2021 BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award were:
- journalist Nicolette Jones (chairing),
- CEO of BookTrust Diana Gerald
- children’s author Piers Torday
- screenwriter and novelist Frank Cottrell-Boyce
- Teaching Fellow at UCL Institute of Education Darren Chetty
- Candy Gourlay, award winning author of Tall Story and Shine
Here are snippets from John Agard being awarded the 2021 @Booktrust #LifetimeAchievementAward for Children’s Literature, with moving tributes from @frankcottrell_b Morag Styles Grace Nichol @rapclassroom @EmilyDrabs @SCBWI_BI @NicoletteJones @PiersTorday @Jillcoleman17 pic.twitter.com/An5UFYpUSn
— Candy Gourlay (@candygourlay) November 10, 2021
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