Book Week

I have just got back from a very enjoyable visit to St Joseph's Junior School, Luton.

I had been celebrating World Book Day and Book Week by giving a series of poetry sessions to Year 4. The children were very impressive. They listened when they were asked to listen and they joined in when they wanted to join in. They also wrote a number of intriguing and poignant poems on the subject of the Book of Life.

I really value these visits to schools. Partly, because it is a chance to engage with the next generation of writers and poetry-lovers and partly because it challenges me to write (see Mystery Flight and Food Additives). I think it is important that the children see me working, producing poems for a particular need. I believe it encourages them to see poetry as something that you do... rather than just something that you just suffer through in class!

Who knows, I might have met a future Poet-Laureate today!