Say It With A Poem!
National Poetry Day launches ‘Messages’ theme with spectacular balloon machine releasing poetic messages from London’s National Theatre
Two girls from All Saints Primary School 3 - National Poetry Day - Credit Ellie Kurttz
National Poetry Day’s 2016 theme ‘messages’ was launched today calling on everyone to Say it with a Poem. Balloons featuring poetic messages were released into the sky above the National Theatre in London from a spectacular poetic machine.
The announcement came from the CLiPPA Award, the UKs only award celebrating outstanding poetry published for children. This year’s joint winners, former Children's Laureate, poet and broadcaster Michael Rosen for his collection A Great Big Cuddle, illustrated by Chris Riddell and author and poet Sarah Crossan for her verse novel, One alongside winning children in the CLiPPA Award’s schools Shadowing Scheme also sent poetic messages encouraging schools and children to ‘say it with a poem’ in the run up to National Poetry Day on October 6th.
Conceived by designer David Colombini, “Attachment” allows people to send digital messages, images or videos into the air attached to biodegradable balloons and highlights the power of poetry to convey a message.
Getting ready for National Poetry Day, schools and children can discover the different ways of playing with the messages theme with a free resources kit for teachers available for download at http://www.nationalpoetryday.org
““On National Poetry Day, poetry takes centre stage, elbowing boring old prose aside. Children are instinctive poets: they love wordplay, rhythm, rhyme, breaking the rules and inventing joyful new combinations of sound and meaning. They know that anything you say with a poem will be remembered. So we’re thrilled to be launching this year’s NPD theme – Messages - here at the CLiPPA Award, which celebrate poetry written for children to enjoy, discover and, above all, to share.“”
Run by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education, the CLiPPA (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education Poetry Award) annual Poetry Award is the only one of its kind, encouraging and celebrating outstanding poetry published for children. The winner’s announcement was made at the finale of The Poetry Show at the National Theatre, a lively celebration of poetry with children at its heart. All of the CLiPPA Award 2016 shortlisted poets alongside poet and chair of judges John Hegley and winners of the children’s Shadowing Scheme performed to a packed house of poets, educators, publishers, media and schools. Children’s Laureate, Chris Riddell brought the ceremony to life, live-drawing the whole event from the stage.
Chris Riddell - National Poetry Day - Credit Ellie Kurttz
