Coelho’s ‘Poetry Prompts’ to return for second year with raft of special guests

Waterstones Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho has revealed that his “Poetry Prompts” videos will return on 11th September for a second year featuring a raft of guests new guests including Shini Somara, engineer and author of Engineers Making a Difference (What on Earth Books) and David Atherton, winner of “The Great British Bake Off" in 2019 and author of My First Baking Book: Delicious Recipes for Budding Bakers (Walker Books).

“Poetry Prompts” – in partnership with BookTrust, which manages the Laureateship – is described as “an epic celebration of the power of poetry in all its forms". Through weekly videos, the award-winning performance poet, playwright and children’s author aims to show “the joy that writing, reading and performing poetry can bring to our lives". A new video will be shared on BookTrust’s website every Monday morning.

Other guests will include Chris Smith, co-author of Super Ghost (Puffin) and former BBC Radio 1 presenter; MC Grammar; Nicola Davies, 2023 CLiPPA Awards Highly Commended recipient for her book Choose Love (Graffeg); Konya Kanneh-Mason, classical musician; and Jenny Graham, endurance cyclist and the fastest woman to cycle around the world.

Following the start of the new “Poetry Prompt” series and National Poetry Day (5th October), Coelho is also set to release Poetry Prompts: All Sorts of Ways to Start a Poem (Quarto/Wide Eyed Editions) on 12th October 2023. It is described as “an illustrated compendium full of tips, tricks and guides for children to craft, perform and enjoy their own creations".

Coelho said: “Poetry Prompts is my invitation to the nation, young and old, to become poets. We turn to poetry at weddings, funerals and births because it goes beyond mere words and translates the soul. But there is baggage associated with poetry that I want everyone to put down – to allow everyone to reclaim the birth right of poet. So often I’ve met children and adults scared to put pen to paper, terrified of ‘getting it wrong’ – this has repercussions in all aspects of life. I want to show everyone that poetry is for them, that we can enjoy the rules and break the rules.”