News for release: Friday 14th July 2017, Poet Kate Wakeling wins CLiPPA

Press Release – Friday 14^th July

Winner announced for CLiPPA 2017 (CLPE Children’s Poetry Award)

• Kate Wakeling announced as CLiPPA 2017 winner
• More than 1000 children took part in the 15^th anniversary celebration for the award
• UK school children performed on stage alongside shortlisted poets at National Theatre

News for release: Friday 14^th July 2017, 1600: Poet Kate Wakeling wins CLiPPA 2017 for her first collection for children, Moon Juice, illustrated by Elīna Brasliņa, published by The Emma Press.

Rachel Rooney, Poet and Chair of the CLiPPA 2017 judges praised the winning book; “Moon Juice is a book brimming with surprises. Some of the poems are playful, some are more thoughtful but all of them draw the reader into worlds that both delight and convince. Kate Wakeling tunes us into the musicality of words, the pauses between, and the white space on the page - making the poems equally pleasing to the eye as to the ear. This is a skilled and confident debut collection that demonstrates the power and breadth of poetry for children. Yes, Moon Juice is infused with subtle and unusual tastes and it refreshes - exactly as the title suggests.”

Louise Johns-Shepherd, Chief Executive, CLPE said: “At CLPE we live and breathe poetry. We know it offers a path to literacy learning for all children whatever their age, cultural background or personal experience. This is the 15th Anniversary of CLiPPA, our annual Poetry Award and I am thrilled to say that children’s poetry is thriving. Judging by the increased number of books submitted this year incorporating a variety of poetic forms, we see a bright future ahead for this significant strand of children’s literature. Moon Juice and all the shortlisted titles deserve their places in this, our largest ever celebration of children’s poetry.”

Booked by Kwame Alexander, published by Andersen Press, was highly commended.

Run by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education since 2003, the annual Poetry Award is the only one of its kind in the UK, encouraging and celebrating outstanding poetry published for children. The announcement was made at the finale of The Poetry Show at the Olivier in the National Theatre, a lively celebration of poetry with children at its heart. CLiPPA 2017 shortlisted poets alongside winners of the children’s Shadowing Scheme and poet and chair of judges Rachel Rooney performed to a packed house of poets, educators, publishers, media and schools. Former Children’s Laureate, author, illustrator and political cartoonist Chris Riddell brought the ceremony to life, live-drawing the whole event from the stage.

Kate received a cheque for £1000 and both Kate and Kwame received beautifully bound copies of their book created by bookbinder, Mark Cockram.

More than 6000 children from 196 schools from across the UK took part in the Shadowing Scheme, an increase of more than 160% on schools participating in 2016.  The Shadowing Schools submitted 250 films of children performing their favourite poems from the shortlist. The winning performers were invited to the National Theatre to meet the shortlisted poets and take part in specially planned theatre workshops. The winning children then performed on the Olivier stage alongside the shortlisted poets before the winner announcement.

CLiPPA is made possible by the generous support of Arts Council England, Crest Nicholson, The Ernest Cook Trust and St Olave's Foundation Fund.

for her first collection for children, Moon Juice, illustrated by Elīna Brasliņa, published by The Emma Press.

Rachel Rooney, Poet and Chair of the CLiPPA 2017 judges praised the winning book; “Moon Juice is a book brimming with surprises. Some of the poems are playful, some are more thoughtful but all of them draw the reader into worlds that both delight and convince. Kate Wakeling tunes us into the musicality of words, the pauses between, and the white space on the page - making the poems equally pleasing to the eye as to the ear. This is a skilled and confident debut collection that demonstrates the power and breadth of poetry for children. Yes, Moon Juice is infused with subtle and unusual tastes and it refreshes - exactly as the title suggests.”

Louise Johns-Shepherd, Chief Executive, CLPE said: “At CLPE we live and breathe poetry. We know it offers a path to literacy learning for all children whatever their age, cultural background or personal experience. This is the 15th Anniversary of CLiPPA, our annual Poetry Award and I am thrilled to say that children’s poetry is thriving. Judging by the increased number of books submitted this year incorporating a variety of poetic forms, we see a bright future ahead for this significant strand of children’s literature. Moon Juice and all the shortlisted titles deserve their places in this, our largest ever celebration of children’s poetry.”

Booked by Kwame Alexander, published by Andersen Press, was highly commended.

Run by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education since 2003, the annual Poetry Award is the only one of its kind in the UK, encouraging and celebrating outstanding poetry published for children. The announcement was made at the finale of The Poetry Show at the Olivier in the National Theatre, a lively celebration of poetry with children at its heart. CLiPPA 2017 shortlisted poets alongside winners of the children’s Shadowing Scheme and poet and chair of judges Rachel Rooney performed to a packed house of poets, educators, publishers, media and schools. Former Children’s Laureate, author, illustrator and political cartoonist Chris Riddell brought the ceremony to life, live-drawing the whole event from the stage.

Kate received a cheque for £1000 and both Kate and Kwame received beautifully bound copies of their book created by bookbinder, Mark Cockram.

More than 6000 children from 196 schools from across the UK took part in the Shadowing Scheme, an increase of more than 160% on schools participating in 2016.  The Shadowing Schools submitted 250 films of children performing their favourite poems from the shortlist. The winning performers were invited to the National Theatre to meet the shortlisted poets and take part in specially planned theatre workshops. The winning children then performed on the Olivier stage alongside the shortlisted poets before the winner announcement.

CLiPPA is made possible by the generous support of Arts Council England, Crest Nicholson, The Ernest Cook Trust and St Olave's Foundation Fund.