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Shortlist announced for CLPE Children’s Poetry Award (CLiPPA) 2018

The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) has announced the 2018 shortlist for the CLiPPA (Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award).

Established in 2003, the CLiPPA encourages and celebrates outstanding poetry published for children. This year sees the largest ever number of poetry book submissions with an increase of almost 70%.

The full shortlist:

  • John Agard, The Rainmaker Danced, illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura (Hodder) – witty and satirical poems that focus on social observations, play with myths and traditional tales and reflect on the nature of humanity
     
  • Ruth Awolola, Victoria Adukwei Bulley, Abigail Cook, Jay Hulme, Amina Jama, Rising Stars (Otter-Barry Books) illustrated by Riya Chowdhury, Elanor Chuah and Joe Manners  – a showcase for five fresh and exciting emerging writer-performers
     
  • Joseph Coelho, Overheard in a Tower Block, illustrated by Kate Milner (Otter-Barry Books) – a powerful collection, offering glimpses into the challenges of a boy’s life, ingeniously threaded through with fantasy, story, myth and magic
     
  • Sarah Crossan, Moonrise (Bloomsbury) – a moving verse novel for young adults, seen from the viewpoint of a young man whose brother is on death row
     
  • Sue Hardy-Dawson, Where Zebras Go (Otter-Barry Books) – a first solo collection uniting a variety of voices with a wide range of poetic forms
     
  • Karl Nova, Rhythm and Poetry, illustrated by Joseph Witchall (Caboodle Books) – the first published collection from a Hip Hop poet, demonstrating the currency and significance of rap as a form, especially for young people
     
 
The judging process involved passionate discussions about which books to shortlist, leading us to come up with a variety of fresh new voices joined by established ones. This shortlist showcases a vibrant selection of poetry books that children will love to explore
Grace Nichols, poet, winner of the first ever CLiPPA and Chair of the CLiPPA 2018 Judges
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The judging panel is chaired by poet and CLiPPA 2003 winner, Grace Nichols along with Kate Wakeling, poet and CLiPPA 2017 winner for Moon Juice, Imogen Lycett Green, Director of the Betjeman Prize for Young Poets, Charlotte Hacking, CLPE Learning Programme Leader and Anthony Anaxagorou, poet, poetry educator and founder of Out-Spoken Press.

The winner of the 2018 Award will be announced on 22 June in the Olivier Theatre at the National Theatre in London. The winner will receive £1000. Former Children's Laureate, Chris Riddell, will live draw the Award Ceremony.