I was extremely disappointed to have to miss this award presentation…

The winner of the CLiPPA 2017 is Kate Wakeling for Moon Juice. The announcement was made at the finale of the Poetry Show at the Olivier, National Theatre on 14 July 2017 which featured performances from talented young poets from the five winning shadowing schools and performances from Kate Wakeling and two other CLiPPA 2017 shortlisted poets, James Carter and Michaela Morgan. Booked by Kwame Alexander, published by Andersen Press, was highly commended.

The CLiPPA (Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award) for a book of poetry for children was launched in 2003. This is the only award for published poetry for children, highlighting an important branch of children’s literature and ensuring that it receives proper recognition. The award is presented annually for a book of poetry published in the preceding year. 

The CLiPPA 2017 Shortlistees were:

• Booked by Kwame Alexander 
• Wonderland: Alice in Poetry Ed. Michaela Morgan 
• Moon Juice by Kate Wakeling, illus. Elina Braslina 
• Jelly Boots, Smelly Boots by Michael Rosen, illus. David Tazzyman 
• Zim Zam Zoom! by James Carter, illus. Nicola Colton

The Chair of the Judging panel was poet Rachel Rooney.

Rachel was joined by a range of poetry experts who share a passion for poetry and its place in children’s developing literacy.

Sarah Crossan – Poet and CLiPPA 2016 joint winner for One
Caleb Femi – poet and the Young People’s Laureate for London
Charlotte Hacking – CLPE Learning Programme Leader
Imogen Russell Williams – Children’s book critic and editorial consultant

 

 

Submissions are now open for CLiPPA 2017. Publishers are invited to submit books of children’s poetry published in 2016.

The winner will join an incredible past line up of winners from the world of children’s poetry including Sarah Crossan, Michael Rosen, Joseph Coelho, Roger McGough, George Szirtes, Carol Ann Duffy, Philip Gross and John Agard.

This year the Chair of the Judging panel will be poet Rachel Rooney.

Rachel is joined by a range of poetry experts who share a passion for poetry and its place in children’s developing literacy.

Sarah Crossan – Poet and CLiPPA 2016 joint winner for One
Caleb Femi – poet and the Young People’s Laureate for London
Charlotte Hacking – CLPE Learning Programme Leader
Imogen Russell Williams – Children’s book critic and editorial consultant

Louise Johns-Shepherd, Chief Executive, CLPE said: ‘In this 15th anniversary year of our poetry award we are delighted to have such a distinguished panel of expert judges led by Rachel and are looking forward to highlighting the very best of children’s poetry in every way we can. We are looking forward to involving children and teachers from across the country in our celebrations. We want everyone to know what an important branch of literature children’s poetry is and how integral it is to children’s developing literacy. ‘

The Process for Submissions

Publishers are asked to send six hard copies of the book they are submitting to: Ann Lazim, Literature and Library Development Manager, Centre for Literacy in Primary Education, 44 Webber Street, London SE1 8QW by 20th February. On announcement of the shortlist publishers will be asked to send further copies of the books to be used as prizes for schools taking part in at the national shadowing scheme.

If you have any questions about the submissions process please email ann@clpe.org.uk. If you have any questions about CLiPPA 2017 please email fatim@clpe.org.uk

 

Marissa Martinelli, for Slate, explains:

Daniel Handler, the author who wrote the Unfortunate Events series under the pseudonym Lemony Snicket, has announced that he is establishing a small poetry press, using money he received during filming of the Netflix production. In a Facebook post, Handler explained that though Netflix gave him a daily stipend for his time in Vancouver, where the adaptation was being filmed, he never spent any of it. Now he’s using that money to launch the appropriately named Per Diem Press, which will publish a single chapbook of poetry, “hopefully” designed by Lisa Brown, a famous illustrator and, conveniently, Handler’s wife.

Here’s where you come in. The contents of this chapbook will come from one lucky poet who stands to win $1,000 and their work in print, as well as a possible opportunity to give a joint reading with Handler. And that’s the press’s whole purpose—after that, it will “go on an extended hiatus until such time as the proprietor receives a substantial amount of money for no good reason.”

Handler is a great lover of poetry, and it’s nice to think that he really just had some money lying around and said, heck, let’s start a poetry press and give some poor unknown with a love of words a chance at greatness. Lemony Snicket, mysterious figure that he is, would likely urge you not to enter the contest, since it is probably a trap. I am not Lemony Snicket, so I think it’s a smashing idea, and that you should send your “eightish” pages of previously unpublished, English-language material right away to:

Per Diem Press
912 Cole St. #331
San Francisco, CA 94117

via Series of Unfortunate Events author Daniel Handler is starting Per Diem Press with a $1000 poetry prize..

The 2016 CLIPPA Poetry Award has been won jointly by Michael Rosen for his book A Great Big Cuddle, illustrated by Chris Riddell and by Sarah Crossan for One.

The prize presentation was, like last year, held at the NT’s Dorfman Theatre. Louise Johns-Shepherd went out of her way to praise the National Theatre for their support in hosting the event, especially as CLPE had not been able to secure funding for this year’s event.

The Poetry Show leading up to the announcement included readings in person from all the shortlisted books (with the exception of Roger McGough who read his selected poem via a pre-recorded video, being unable to attend on this occasion). Additionally there were dramatised readings of poems from all five shortlisted books by
The Gattons Infant School (Bendy Man from A Great Big Cuddle)
Marton Park Primary School (Carnival Dance Lesson from Dancing In The Rain)
Springfield Primary School (Furies from Falling Out of the Sky)
Highfield Primary School (Maternal Impressions from One)
All Saints Primary School (Poetry Pie from Poetry Pie)

All presentations were exceptionally vibrant and accomplished.

This was also the second year of the CLiPPA shadowing scheme. Shadowing schools were able to watch poet performances on Poetryline, use teaching sequences, write their own poems inspired by the shortlist and enter the competition to perform at today’s Poetry Show.

Last year’s winner was Joseph Coelho.

The full shortlist:

CLiPPA 2016 Shortlist

Sarah Crossan: One, Bloomsbury Publishing

“Being shortlisted for the CLiPPA award is so special as it recognises my novel as poetry, which is always how I see it. And I’m over the moon to be on the list with such a talented array of poets.” Sarah Crossan

John Lyons: Dancing in the Rain, illustrated by the poet, Peepal Tree Press

“I am absolutely delighted to be shortlisted for the CLiPPA, especially as it gives me the opportunity to make a real connection with younger readers and encourage them to write poetry too!” John Lyons

Roger McGough: Poetry Pie, illustrated by the poet, Puffin Books

“Children are important, poetry is important. Put the two together and you have CLPE.” Roger McGough

Rachel Piercey and Emma Wright (editors): Falling Out of the Sky, Poems about Myths and Monsters, illustrated by Emma Wright, The Emma Press

“We are thrilled that Falling Out of the Sky has been shortlisted for the CLiPPA Award, especially as it’s our first venture into children’s poetry books. We hope we can encourage more poets to write for children, and more bookshops to stock children’s poetry books.” Rachel Piercey and Emma Wright

Michael Rosen: A Great Big Cuddle, illustrated by Chris Riddell, Walker

“I’m delighted to be on this shortlist. This book means a lot to me – it’s a collection of views of life as seen from a toddler’s angle so it was a way of looking back at the last toddler I was helping to bring up. But also, I love the way Chris’s pictures have entered that world and brought it to life visually.” Michael Rosen

Chair and Judges

This year the Chair of the Judging panel was the much-loved poet John Hegley. John was joined by a range of poetry experts who share a passion for poetry and its place in children’s developing literacy.

• Joseph Coelho – poet and CLiPPA 2015 winner for Werewolf Club Rules
• Charlotte Hacking – CLPE Learning Programme Leader
• Maisie Lawrence – Programmes and Digital Manager, Forward Arts Foundation
• Isobel Colchester – Chief Executive, Poet in the City

The winner will be announced at The Poetry Show at the National Theatre on 13th July 2016.