A sequence of short features focusing on the five individual young poets included in the recently-launched collection Rising Stars published by Otter-Barry Books.
Ruth Awolola was born in 1998 and has been writing since 2015, when she was a winner of the SLAMbassadors UK national youth slam.
Earlier this month Awolola explained how she had become a poet…
Ten years ago, I remember it being World Book Day. This was the highlight of my academic year for several reasons: the book fair came to the school; we didn’t have maths lessons; and we were encouraged to go into school dressed as our favourite book characters. My brother however, who preferred running to reading, was not as enthused about the event. Two years earlier, before I joined the school, he had chosen to go as Kipper from the Biff, Chip and Kipper series. He returned home feeling defeated that day as a teaching assistant had told him he didn’t look like Kipper because Kipper wasn’t black. Every year after this he wore his latest football kit to school and cited he was a character from a book about sport that I knew he had never read. I was angry at him for not putting in any effort, sure that if he had read enough he would have found a character that looked like him. It wasn’t until I was eight years old and, despite having spent all my free time reading, couldn’t think of a black character I liked enough to dress up as, that I realised my brother wasn’t the problem.
I still struggle to think of many books with black protagonists and I assumed this was because there weren’t enough black writers. This played a role in why I initially found it so hard to start identifying myself as a poet. So few of the writers I was being encouraged to read or that we studied in class looked like me and so I developed a complex that I could not be one. It wasn’t until I was welcomed to the poetry community that I saw how diverse it really was and I met poets from all around the world. I found poetry that addressed issues I related to and I started to connect to writing more than I ever had before. I couldn’t help thinking, why couldn’t I have found this sooner? https://mediadiversified.org/2017/11/03/how-i-became-a-poet-ruth-awolola/
Awolola’s younger bother is the subject of ‘Superpowers’, the second of her eight poems included in Rising Stars.
My littler brother loves superheroes.
He wants to change the world,
get the keys to the city and save the girl.
A couple of the poems ruminate about the vastness of space. In ‘Mainly About Aliens’
I’m looking up into the sky
And I’m thinking why is it so big?
An in ‘Love Letter To The Stars’
There are things I hate about space,
It’s far too big and unknown.
But it is my safe place,
I long to call it home.
In the biographical piece quoted from earlier Awolola confesses, “I was initially daunted about writing for a younger audience as I hadn’t really written to a brief before. The best advice I received, which applies to all writing, is to write about what concerns you. There’s no use trying to produce something that relates to people if it doesn’t relate to you. I had to remember that the person I was five years ago was still me, with similar interests and concerns.”
She has done this very well. The poems are accessible and simply worded, yet they speak of the big things that children, as they reach nine or ten years old, contemplate with such receptive minds. The longest poem – ‘On Forgetting That I am A Tree’ – is a fabulous work of empathetic imagination. Picture a teacher suggesting to his or her class, “I want you to write a poem in which you pretend you are a tree,” and receiving this in response!
Near the beginning it goes
A poem in which I fear I did not dig into the past,
Did not think about my roots,
Forgot what it meant to be planted.
A poem in which I realise they may try to cut me down,
That I must change with the seasons,
That I do it so well
It looks as if they are changing with me.
And ends
A poem in which I stop looking for it,
Because I am home.
I am habitat.
My branches are host and shelter.
I am life-giver and fruit-bearer.
Self-sufficient protection.
A poem in which I remember I am a tree.
Posts about the other poets in the collection will follow shortly.
Back rowing, standing: Jay Hulme (Rising Stars poet), Riya Chowdhury (Rising Stars illustrator), Joelle Taylor (consultant and Artistic Director of SLAMbassadors UK), Janetta Otter-Barry (Publisher, Otter-Barry Books), Franziska Liebig (Company Manager, Pop Up Projects), Judith Escreet (Art Director, Otter-Barry Books ), Amina Jama (Rising Stars poet) and Victoria Adukwei Bulley (Rising Stars poet) Front row, seated: Joe Manners (Rising Stars illustrator), Abigail Cook (Rising Stars poet), Dylan Calder (Director, Pop Up Projects) and Ruth Awolola (Rising Stars poet) / Photograph by Joel Ford
Five début poets from diverse backgrounds, all aged 26 and under, performed work from the new collection Rising Stars, New Voices in Poetry, to a crowded room of booksellers, librarians, poets, festival programmers, critics and friends at Gerry’s Kitchen, Theatre Royal Stratford East, London on 21st November.
The poetry anthology for 10-14 year olds is an exciting collaboration between Otter-Barry Books and Pop Up Projects, supported by Arts Council England’ Grant for the Arts programme. Illustrations in the book are by final year students from Birmingham City University’s illustration course.
Joelle Taylor, founder and Artistic Director of SLAMbassadors UK, mentored all the poets and was consultant for the book. She said: “Rising Stars is a unique addition to the young poetry canon, with an anthology that addresses the vast diversity of peoplewithin the UK. Written by some of the brightest emerging poets in the country, the book tackles everyday issues from Afrohair to impending divorce with a delicacy and empathy rarely found. Finally, here is poetry that readers can see theirfaces in.”
Janetta Otter-Barry, Publisher, Otter-Barry Books said: “ We are immensely proud to publish this ground-breaking poetrycollection for young readers.”
Dylan Calder, Director, Pop Up Projects added: “All children need to see themselves in the pages of the books they read. Whatever it is you discover in this eloquent collection, have no doubt that between these pages you’ll encounter some of the brightest lights in poetry today – alongside outstanding first-time illustrators. Truly, these are the stars to watch out for.”
An acclaimed South African poet and author has been denied access to the UK, despite charming many in the country for describing the University of Oxford as “Disneyland for nerds”.
Athol Williams – author of Pushing Boulders and the Oaky series of children’s books – was due to return to Oxford on Wednesday but was denied a UK visa.
The head of school literacy programme Read to Rise attained his masters in political theory at Oxford after two years of study and was to start work on his doctorate in political theory.
Williams, who also holds masters degrees from other top universities, including Harvard, said he planned to reapply for a visa. He had spent nearly six weeks back in South Africa.
“I am hoping that the visa denial is just a technicality … I will reapply. I don’t – yet – think there is anything sinister,” he said.
He gained social media fame when he referred to the university as a “Disneyland for nerds” during an Africa Oxford Initiative.
A short clip from the interview was posted by the university on its Facebook page and has received nearly 20,000 views.
National Poetry Day 2017 is a little earlier than usual, because the BBC and Hull City of Culture are collaborating with the charity on the celebration to ensure still more are involved closely in enjoying, discovering and sharing poetry, all year round.
This year’s theme is Freedom.
National Poetry Day is an annual celebration that inspires people throughout the UK to enjoy, discover and share poems. Everyone is invited to join in, whether by organising events, displays, competitions or by simply posting favourite lines of poetry on social media using #nationalpoetryday.
National Poetry Day was founded in 1994 by the charity Forward Arts Foundation, whose mission is to celebrate excellence in poetry and increase its audience. The Day enjoys the support of the BBC, Arts Council England, the Royal Mail and leading literary and cultural organisations, alongside booksellers, publishers, libraries and schools.
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
Ahead of this morning’s announcement of the shortlist for the 2017 CLiPPA (Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award) comes this timely blog post by Michael Rosen:
Some teachers have told me that on occasions people who manage schools have told them that they shouldn’t just be letting children read to themselves, and/or they shouldn’t just be reading and enjoying poetry. The teachers need to be doing some specific teaching and the children need to be doing a set task. In this blog, I’m going to try to answer this. I’m going to defend the activity of reading and enjoying poetry in the primary classroom. Just that. No task. This involves me imagining a situation in which a teacher has to justify this in a meeting with someone who is telling that teacher that there is little or no point in simply reading and enjoying poetry.
Published by new imprint Otter-Barry Books with illustrations by Tim Archbold, here is a wonderful collection for younger children from the award-winning Hungarian-born English poet and translator George Szirtes, How To Be A Tiger marks a major event in the publishing year for poetry fans.
Szirtes won the 2013 CLPE prize for his first children’s collection, Reel.
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
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
The winner of the CLiPPA 2017 is 
Submissions are now open for CLiPPA 2017. Publishers are invited to submit books of children’s poetry published in 2016.
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.