Poet, playwright and author Joseph Coelho has been named the new Waterstones children’s laureate, and will look to celebrate the power of poetry which is very exciting news for us at Southill. We have been working hard in Talk for Writing lessons on our story and non-fiction genres for the past few years and we are  getting really good at them so this year we will introduce a lot more poetry into our curriculum.

Joseph said “I think that’s so important, to let young people know ‘You are a writer’, and to find ways to allow them to become passionate about poetry. First and foremost, poetry is about translating the soul; it’s about emotions and feelings; it’s about encapsulating a moment in time.”

Poetry, said Coelho, was something people turned to in times of need, be that weddings, funerals or new births, “because we instinctively know, deep down in our core, that poetry transcends”.

Coelho’s second project is called Bookmaker Like You, and will shine a light on authors, illustrators and those working behind the scenes in publishing, aiming to showcase a diverse range of people, and show children that they too can be a “bookmaker”.

He said the focus of the project would be on “celebrating the brilliant work … of these fantastic new and emerging voices coming out of the UK, so that every child gets to see themselves represented”.

“I’m really eager to get a range of voices across society so we see the whole of society represented,” he added.

Look out for some of Joseph’s books in our library.