Joseph Coelho, a playwright, poet and author, has been named Waterstones’ new children’s laureate. He will be celebrating the power of poetry over his two-year tenure.
Coelho assumes the role of Cressida Cowell author of How to Train Your Dragon. Cowell served three years instead of the normal two due to the coronavirus pandemic. Today, he was named laureate at an event at the Unicorn Theatre in London. He was presented with his custom laureate medal by Cowell. Coelho performed a poem he had written for the occasion called The Power of a Poem at the ceremony.
Coelho will be focusing his laureateship on three projects. Poetry Challenges is a campaign to make poetry reading and writing accessible to all. Coelho stated that poetry has “a lot of baggage”, with children and adults often believing it was something they did. He also said that there was a right and wrong way to analyse a poem.
Coelho said, “I love to analyze poetry but we often miss out on writing poetry and realising that poetry is for everybody.” “And once you start writing poetry and realize that your voice is valid, that will open up the world to poetry and make you more interesting in reading poetry by other poets.”
“I believe that it’s important to let young people know “You are a writer” and to help them become passionate about poetry. Poetry is first and foremost about translating the soul. It’s also about feelings and emotions. Poetry is about capturing a moment in time.
Coelho said poetry was something people turn to when they are in need, whether it be for weddings, funerals, or newborns. “We instinctively know that poetry transcends all things,” he added.
Coelho’s next project, Bookmaker Like You is a spotlight on authors, illustrators, and those who work behind the scenes of publishing. It aims to show children that they can also be a “bookmaker” and showcase a wide range of people.
He stated that the project’s focus would be to “celebrate the brilliant work…of these fantastic new voices coming out the UK so every child gets the chance to see themselves represented”.
He said, “I’m really keen to get a variety of voices across society so that we see the entire society represented.”
The Library Marathon is Coelho’s third project. It follows a pre-pandemic goal he set to join every library authority in the country. He had already joined 140 libraries by the time of the pandemic and was aiming to join 70 more in the two years that followed.
Coelho stated that libraries had a significant impact on his childhood, both in Roehampton and later in Wandsworth in south London. Coelho used them for homework and access to books. As a teenager, he also worked at his local library. He then got a job at The British Library as a photocopying clerk while he was studying at University College London.
Although library use has plummeted since the pandemic, Coelho believes that by getting more people to the doors and encouraging people who aren’t members of the library to become members, “we are increasing and generating passion for libraries.” It’s my hope that by inspiring passion and getting people excited, you can create long-term real change.
Coelho published Werewolf Club Rules in 2014, winning the CLPE CLiPPA Poetry Award. Coelho is also the author and illustrator of Fairytales Gone Bad for middle grade, illustrated by Freya Hartas. He also wrote The Boy Lost In the Maze, a YA novel; and nonfiction books such as How to Write Poems illustrated by Matt Robertson.
The laureateship, which is sponsored by Waterstones and managed by BookTrust, is administered by the reading charity. It was established in 1999 by Quentin Blake. Jacqueline Wilson and Malorie Blackman were also laureates in the past.
Chair of the Waterstones laureate steering committee and member of the selection panel, Kate Edwards stated that Coelho was chosen because of his “dynamic performance”, passionate advocacy, and engaging writing, which was instilled in children of all ages.
BookTrust’s chief executive Diana Gerald called Coelho an “extraordinary advocate” for poetry accessibility, celebrating creativity, storytelling, and inspiring younger generations.