Performance poet Joseph Coelho to visit East Renfrewshire Schools

On May 14-15, Joseph will visit over 500 pupils from Eaglesham Primary School, St Thomas’ Primary School and Braidbar Primary School.

The Children’s Book Tour is supported by Scottish Friendly and organised by Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing.

During the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour, Joseph will work with both lower and upper primary school classes, focusing on Overheard in a Tower Block, poems which explore how he grew up.

He will also discuss Luna Loves Library Day and his latest picture book, If All the World Were (illustrated by Allison Colpoys), which deals with the loss of a family member.

Joseph will perform dramatic readings of his work, along with crafting sessions and opportunities for the pupils to create poems drawing on poetic devices.

He will also discuss where his inspiration comes from, as well as inspiring the students to create poems through call and response activities.

The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour will also hold a special Bookbug Week event with the poet on Wednesday, May 15. Hosted by the Hidden Gardens in Glasgow, Joseph will read picnic-related poetry to parents and their children. Scottish Friendly will also gift free books to those attending the Bookbug session.

Born and raised in London, it never occurred to Joseph growing up that one day he would become a writer. But no matter where his career took him, he was always writing in the background. After discovering a performance poetry course at Battersea Arts Centre, Joseph began to write poems and share them on stage before being asked to take his work into schools.

Joseph said: “I am delighted to be touring Scotland and I am hugely excited to see what fantastic poetic ideas will be formed as we explore poetry, different worlds, thoughts and feelings.

“I’m always left awed by the imaginations demonstrated in schools by both pupils and teachers and can’t wait to discover what poetic delights Scotland has in store for me.”

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “It’s a pleasure to host Joseph Coelho on the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour for the very first time.

“As a performance poet, Joseph is skilled at captivating his audience, and he is sure to inspire young people with the power of spoken word.”