Working with Apples & Snakes, the “Spoken Word Trailblazers”, Britain’s Children’s Laureate has chosen poems from ten debut poets, all from diverse/under-represented backgrounds. Selected for their qualities of originality, expression and style, they represent the best of a new generation of gifted young poets writing for children and young people. These are poems intended to be read aloud and shared.  Themes range from video gaming to ice skating and football, hair, holidays, sisterhood, generational memories, friendship, the sense of self, personal experiences, music, and family life.

Fifty poems here open windows on a  new generation’s thoughts, dreams and desires, and on an exciting new wave of poetic talent.

The poets are Anneliese Amoah, Antoinette Brooks, Sadatu Futa, Eileen Gbagbo, Shagufta K. Iqbal, Gayathiri Kamalakanthan, Rowan Kiffin-Murray, Jay Sandhu, Ioney Smallhorne, and Jasmin Thien. Three new poems by Joseph Coelho are also included.