NOISY POETRY COMPETITION: BRIAN MOSES NEEDS YOU!
Are you a budding performer? Or a poet who doesn’t know it?
In celebration of his latest book release, Keeping Clear of Paradise Street, one of Britain’s favourite and best loved poets is launching a UK-wide poetry competition – in partnership with Cardiff-based publisher Candy Jar Books – ahead of World Book Day on March 3rd 2016.
Brian Moses, who has sold over one million books throughout his career, is a tireless and passionate advocate for spreading his love of poetry and literature to children across the nation, having delivered over three thousand performances of his poetry and percussion show “Rhyme, Rhythm & Rap”, and running countless writing workshops.
In a bid to encourage young people to embrace the fun of the spoken word, Brian’s latest endeavour is the Candy Jar Noisy Poetry Competition, which aims to get school children reading poetry aloud. Brian says: “I’ve been to hundreds of schools, and every time I visit I’m stunned by how enthusiastic the children are. This competition is a chance for children to be creative, develop confidence, and embrace poetry. I can’t wait to see what they come up with!”
The Noisy Poetry Competition is open to children between 5 and 12. If you would like to enter, all you need to do is pick a poem and film yourself performing it – beginning the video with the poem’s title and your name, age, and your primary school. Then, upload your video to YouTube using the hashtag #NoisyPoetry and send the link to bmredsea@gmail.com, or send via Twitter to @moses_brian with the hashtag before the competition closing date March 31st 2016 (or ask a parent or teacher to do it for you).
Brian has made approximately one hundred school visits every year to talk to children about the importance of reading, and show that poetry is more than words written on a page. He continues: “I’m looking forward to the children getting creative with their entries. I can’t wait to see lots of wild arm movements, funny voices, sound effects and instruments. Just let your imagination run wild!”
The lucky first place winner will receive a Kindle Fire and copy of Keeping Clear of Paradise Street. There will also be a further two runner up prizes. In addition, Brian will be cataloguing his favourite entries on his blog “Welcome to the Ssssssnake Hotel” in the months following the competition’s close.
Keeping Clear of Paradise Street is published by Candy Jar Books. It is an autobiography with a twist: the story of acclaimed children’s poet Brian Moses’ life in the 1950s and early 1960s Ramsgate. Born into a world of ration books, gas lanterns, and bombsites for playgrounds, by the time Brian is a teenager, the sixties are in full swing. It is an affectionate yet irreverent love letter to the past, but at its heart is a story relatable for children of any era. A story of schooldays, of teachers kind and cruel, or adventures with friends and of first love; captivating in its depiction of both how much has changed, and how much has stayed the same.
Brian has published over two hundred books, was commissioned by the CBBC to write a poem for the Queen’s eightieth birthday, and is the founder and Co-director of the Able Writers’ Scheme.
Hayley Cox says: “We’re really excited to be working with Brian on what we think is an important new project. It’s so important to get children involved with poetry at this age, and to show them that creative writing isn’t something boring; it can be really fun!”
Keeping Clear of Paradise Street will be released on March 1st 2016, ahead of World Book Day, and is currently available to pre-order from Candy Jar Books and Amazon.
The Noisy Poetry Competition opens for entry February 1st. Terms and conditions apply.
To book an event, please contact Brian Moses at bmredsea@gmail.co.uk, or for further enquiries about the competition contact Lauren Thomas at lauren@candyjarbooks.co.uk or 02921 157202
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