This week’s KS1 pick: Jake in the Middle: Maple Street by Michael Catchpool. Four lively, relatable stories with engaging illustrations. More: https://clpe.org.uk/blog/

Today is your last day to get involved in CLiPPA 2026! 👉 Teachers: record students’ performances and submit by 12pm, TODAY. 👉 Five schools (one per shortlisted collection) will perform at the National Theatre, London on 9 July. Get involved: https://clpe.org.uk/poetry/CLiPPA/shadowing_scheme

This week’s Lower Key Stage 2 book pick is Higher Ground by Tull Suwannakit (New Frontier Publishing). A richly illustrated story of two children, their grandmother, and their pet rabbit seeking refuge in a tower block after a devastating global flood. For more: clpe.org.uk/blog/

Get involved in CLiPPA 2026! 👉 Teachers: record students’ performances and submit by 12pm, 21 May [JUST TWO DAYS AWAY!]. 👉 Five schools (one per shortlisted collection) will perform at the National Theatre, London on 9 July. Get involved: https://clpe.org.uk/poetry/CLiPPA/shadowing_scheme

Join our CLiPPA Shadowing Scheme! 🎉 Get free teaching plans and videos to help your class explore shortlisted poetry collections and perform their favourites. Find out more: https://clpe.org.uk/poetry/CLiPPA/shadowing_scheme

A huge congrats to Sean Taylor for being shortlisted for this year’s #CLiPPA26. Bring this collection into your classroom with our Shadowing Scheme! Download the free plan & submit by 21st May. Explore this collection: https://clpe.org.uk/books/book/five-little-friends-collection-finger-rhymes#CLiPPA26

Working with professional poets can transform children’s relationship with poetry. Hearing poets share their inspirations and creative process helps children see themselves as writers too. Explore why poetry matters for literacy: clpe.org.uk/research/poetry-primary-schools-what-we-know-works

CLPE has been leading literacy in primary schools for over 50 years. Join our free online event on 8 June, 4–5pm and explore how we can support your school: clpe.org.uk/training/webinars/leading-english-curriculum-power-reading-online-event-leaders-3

Huge congrats to John Agard, shortlisted for this year’s #CLiPPA2026 for 'The Poetry World of John Agard' iilus. by Shirley Hottier💫 Illustrator & pub. by @otterbarrybooks.bsky.social. Explore & join our CLiPPA Shadowing Scheme by 21 May: clpe.org.uk/books/book/poetry-world-john-agard

Get involved in CLiPPA 2026! 👉 Teachers: record students’ performances and submit by 12pm, 21 May. 👉 Five schools (one per shortlisted collection) will perform at the National Theatre, London on 9 July. Get involved: https://clpe.org.uk/poetry/CLiPPA/shadowing_scheme

✨ New blog post ✨ Darren Chetty shares his motivations for writing 'I'm going to make a friend' as well as a glimpse into his influences and inspirations. Read more: https://clpe.org.uk/blog/im-going-make-friend-blog-darren-chetty

Helping children connect with poetry starts with voice & choice. Let pupils explore poems that reflect their lives, with no “right” answers, just feelings, ideas & discussion. Download our free poetry guide: https://clpe.org.uk/research/poetry-primary-schools-what-we-know-works

A look inside the literacy library with our very own librarian Phoebe! 👀 https://anewdirection.org.uk/blog/a-look-inside-the-literacy-library

This week’s Upper KS2 pick: Wild Journey by A.M. Dassu, illus. Joe Lillington. A powerful story linking five children’s lives through a starling migration from Egypt to England. More recommendations: https://clpe.org.uk/blog/

Join our CLiPPA Shadowing Scheme! 🎉 Get free teaching plans and videos to help your class explore shortlisted poetry collections and perform their favourites. Find out more: https://clpe.org.uk/poetry/CLiPPA/shadowing_scheme

✨ New blog post ✨ Jessica Meserve shares the inspiration behind 'Our Tree' and her passion for the wonder of the natural world, full of beauty, wildlife and magic. Read more: https://clpe.org.uk/blog/our-tree-blog-jessica-meserve

Win the 2026 CLiPPA shortlisted books with World Book Day UK Deadline: 26 May 2026. More info: worldbookday.com/competitions/win-the-books-shortlisted-for-the-2026-clippa-clpe-childrens-poetry-award/

Huge congrats to Simon Mole, shortlisted for #CLiPPA2026 for A First Book of Bugs (illus. Adam Ming Walker Books A brilliant mix of science and poetry—perfect for classrooms! Join the Shadowing Scheme, download the plan & enter by 21 May: https://clpe.org.uk/books/book/first-book-bugs

Get involved in CLiPPA 2026! 👉 Teachers: record students’ performances and submit by 12pm, 21 May. 👉 Five schools (one per shortlisted collection) will perform at the National Theatre, London on 9 July. Get involved: https://clpe.org.uk/poetry/CLiPPA/shadowing_scheme

Poetry is a powerful gateway to literacy, helping children build vocabulary, fluency, inference, imagination & a love of reading. Reading, re-reading & performing poems also boosts confidence, phonics and spelling. Explore more: https://clpe.org.uk/research/poetry-primary-schools-what-we-know-works

Huge congratulations to Sean Taylor on being part of the #CLiPPA2026 shortlist for Five Little Friends, a joyful “playground for language” bringing poetry to life for young children. Explore the Shadowing Scheme: https://clpe.org.uk/poetry/CLiPPA/shadowing_scheme

This week's book pick for Lower Key Stage 2 is 'Frank the Monster', written by Mats Strandberg, illustrated by Sofia Felkenham, translated by Julia Marshall and published by Gecko Press. For more book recommendations: https://clpe.org.uk/blog/

Congrats to the #CLiPPA2026 anthology 'This is Not a Small Voice' (Traci N. Todd, illust. by Jade Orlando). A powerful anthology of Black poetry—historic and contemporary. Bring it to your classroom via the CLiPPA Shadowing Scheme: https://clpe.org.uk/books/book/not-small-voice-poems-black-poets

Join our annual CLiPPA shadowing scheme and bring poetry to life in your classroom. We provide free teaching plans and video resources to help your class explore each shortlisted collection and perform their favourite poems. Find out more: clpe.org.uk/poetry/CLiPPA/shadowing_scheme

✨ New blog post ✨ Mats Strandberg shares the inspiration behind 'Frank the Monster' as well as a glimpse into his influences and motivation. Read more: https://clpe.org.uk/blog/frank-monster-blog-mats-strandberg

How can poetry take a bigger place in the classroom? When children are immersed in poetry and given time to listen, read, discuss and perform, the impact is clear. Poetry builds writing confidence, voice and creativity, and brings learning to life across the curriculum. More: clpe.org.uk/poetry

The shortlist for the 2026 Branford Boase Award is out today! Seven brilliant books are in the running, from rom com and horror to sci-fi and powerful stories for YA and teen readers. Find out more: branfordboaseaward.org.uk #BBA2026

🎉A huge congratulations: 'Press Start to Play' by Sam Gayton has made the shortlist for CLiPPA 2026! Download the free teaching plan & submit your entry to the CLiPPA Shadowing Scheme by 21st May - https://clpe.org.uk/books/book/press-start-play

Get involved in CLiPPA 2026! 👉 Teachers: record students’ performances and submit by 12pm, 21 May. 👉 Five schools (one per shortlisted collection) will perform at the National Theatre, London on 9 July. Get involved: https://clpe.org.uk/poetry/CLiPPA/shadowing_scheme #PoetryinPrimary #CLiPPA2026

We’re thrilled to reveal this year’s CLiPPA shortlist! 🌟 Featuring works by Sean Taylor, Traci N. Todd, Sam Gayton, Simon Mole & John Agard, it's a true celebration of poetry’s power and joy! Sign up to the Shadowing Scheme: https://r1.dotdigital-pages.com/p/1RW5-1LFF/clippa26

This week’s KS1 book pick is The Map of Me by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Olga Shtonda (Templar Books) — a moving story exploring scale, distance, togetherness, and how we map where we’ve come from and where we’re going. For more book recommendations: https://clpe.org.uk/blog/

We’re honoured to be nominated again for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2026! Huge congratulations to winner Jon Klassen, whose books feature in our Power of Reading resources, and thanks to everyone championing reading and creativity with us. #ALMA2026

Join us this Wednesday for the live virtual CLiPPA shortlist announcement with Nicola Davies! Celebrate children’s poetry in your classroom: https://r1.dotdigital-pages.com/p/1RW5-1LFF/clippa26

Looking to bring poetry to life across your curriculum? ✨ Join Karl Nova for a one-day course on inspiring reading, writing & performance from EYFS–Y6. Explore creative approaches & boost attainment. Book: https://clpe.org.uk/training/courses/power-poetry-karl-nova

✨ New blog post ✨ Harry Woodgate shares the inspiration behind 'The Butterfly House' as well as a glimpse into his influences and motivation. Read more: https://clpe.org.uk/blog/butterfly-house-blog-harry-woodgate

CLPE, the National Poetry Centre for Primary Schools, invites UK schools to a live virtual event announcing this year’s CLiPPA shortlist. Hosted by Nicola Davies, with live performances from all shortlisted poets. Sign up: https://r1.dotdigital-pages.com/p/1RW5-1LFF/clippa26

Power of Pictures transforms literacy by using images as the starting point. Children are drawn into storytelling through rich visuals in this proven, EEF-backed approach. Learn more and book: https://clpe.org.uk/training/courses/power-pictures-marta-altes

✨ New blog post ✨ Mariajo Ilustrajo shares the inspiration behind 'Unusual Guests' and a glimpse into her writing process! Read more: https://clpe.org.uk/blog/unexpected-guests-blog-mariajo-ilustrajo

Last week, our five fantastic judges selected the 2026 CLiPPA shortlist! ✨ We’ll be announcing the shortlist event this week — sign up to our mailing list so you don’t miss the reveal of the five shortlisted collections: https://r1.dotdigital-pages.com/p/1RW5-1LFF/clippa26?pfredir=1

Looking for a poetry collection that will spark a love of language in children in Years 1 and 2? Take a look at The Puffin Book of Fantastic First Poems, published by Puffin books. 👉 Find out more about the book and its teaching plan: https://clpe.org.uk/books/book/puffin-book-fantastic-first-poems

Looking for a book that children in years 5 and 6 won’t want to put down? Take a look at 'The General' by Janet Charters, illustrated by Michael Foreman and published by Templar. 👉 Find out more about the book and its teaching plan: https://clpe.org.uk/books/book/general

✨ New blog post ✨ Eva Eland shares the inspiration behind Different and how Mia learns that being different isn’t something to hide but part of who she is. Read more: https://clpe.org.uk/blog/different-blog-eva-eland

Lisa Mead (FRSA), Artistic Director & CEO of Apples and Snakes, is joining this year’s CLiPPA judging panel. Register for the shadowing scheme: https://r1.dotdigital-pages.com/p/1RW5-1LFF/clippa26

Are ready to find your next favourite book to share with your years 3 and 4 children? Say hello to 'Pugs of the Frozen North' by Philip Reeve, illust. by Sarah McIntyre & published by OUP Oxford. 👉 Find out more about the book and its teaching plan: https://clpe.org.uk/books/book/pugs-frozen-north

The 2026 Yoto Carnegie Medal shortlists are here! 🌟 Discover outstanding stories that inspire empathy, imagination & a love of reading. Shadowing starts tomorrow! https://carnegies.co.uk/2026-shortlists-announced/

Discover how the findings of @theclpe.bsky.social ‘s annual #ReflectingRealities survey can inform and enrich your classroom book stock. 18th May 3-3.45pm For primary staff, esp. English Leaders & Librarians. @neunion.bsky.social #KidLitUK

We’re delighted to be part of Reflecting Realities in the Book Corner, an NEU online session spotlighting our Reflecting Realities Survey and how to build truly representative book corners. Sign up: https://neu.org.uk/events/reflecting-realities-book-corner

Last year we shared ideas, resources and support to help you celebrate World Book Day across the whole school, and they’re just as powerful this year. Revisit our World Book Day ideas and pick up fresh inspiration for 2026: https://clpe.org.uk/news/world-book-day-ideas-resources-and-support-clpe-0

Every child has the right to be literate, but what does it take to make that a reality in today’s classrooms? Our latest blog explores the principles behind CLPE’s work and how we support rich, book-based provision: https://clpe.org.uk/blog/fulfilling-every-childs-right-be-literate

We’re so excited that Jake Hope will be on this year’s CLiPPA judging panel! A champion of children’s books, Jake brings huge expertise from his work with the Carnegie Medals. Register your school for the shadowing scheme: https://r1.dotdigital-pages.com/p/1RW5-1LFF/clippa26