Children’s Poetry Bookshelf

‘A terrific idea – fun, adventurous and smart.’ 
Andrew Motion, Poet Laureate


The Poetry Book Society has relaunched its highly regarded Children’s 
Poetry Bookshelf, a book club for children aged 7 – 11 designed to make 
the best children’s poetry available to young readers in an exciting and 
enjoyable way. The CPB provides support for teachers and libraries, 
including teachers’ activity sheets and posters, to encourage children to 
read and enjoy poetry. 

www.childrenspoetrybookshelf.co.uk

The new CPB includes a brand new website, the only one dedicated entirely 
to children’s poetry books, which has a lively, fun-filled section for 
children with poetry puzzles and quizzes and the chance to post their 
reviews and poems on the site. It also offers suggestions for adults on 
the best poetry to buy for children.

New audiences   

The CPB is reaching out to new audiences, including parents and 
grandparents who want to know they are getting the best poetry books for 
their children, delivered straight to the kids themselves.  The new scheme 
will also include librarians who are keen to present a selection of the 
best children’s poetry to attract families into the library. The library 
members receive eight books three times a year.

New selectors’ team

The new team will be Mandy Coe, award-winning poet and educationalist, Wes 
Magee, children’s poet and teacher, and Fiona Waters, celebrated 
children’s books editor and anthologist.

Smashing events 

The next CPB event will be held at 4pm on 24 February 2006 at the 
fantastic new Unicorn Theatre in Southwark.  Tickets are available from  
08700 534 534 or from their website [log in to unmask] . The 
poets at this popular and fun-filled event will be Ian McMillan, Adrian 
Mitchell, Mandy Coe and Francesca Beard .


’Whether they realise it or not, children’s most likely first experience 
of poetry is in the playground, chanting – delighting in rhythm and rhyme 
for its own sake, discovering how memory enjoys like sounds, and finding 
how the clear sight of familiar things, let alone their rearrangement, can 
lead to wonder.’ 

Andrew Motion, from his article on the website.

For further information regarding the Children’s Poetry Bookshelf please 
contact Chris Holifield, [log in to unmask], or Christopher Simon, 
[log in to unmask] at the Poetry Book Society on 020 7833 9247.


Notes to editors:

1) The Children’s Poetry Bookshelf offers all children’s poetry books 
being published in the UK at a 25% discount, and provides support and 
availability to those interested in working with young readers, teachers, 
parents and libraries. Please contact us for further details of our 
teachers’ activity sheets, which are available to all members. 

2) The CPB relaunch is supported by Arts Council England.  The Poetry Book 
Society is working in partnership with the Scottish Poetry Library, which 
has received funding for the scheme from the Scottish Arts Council.