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Paul has been a poet for over twenty-five years, has written and edited over sixty collections, sold over a million books and visited thousands of schools, libraries and festivals all over the world. He is the Poet in Residence for the National Football Museum in Manchester, and his work has appeared in over 200 anthologies, on school posters, art installations, beer mats and even burger napkins.
He lives in Retford with his wife, two children, a dog, a room full of books and music, and too many ukuleles.
Magical Poems Chosen by Paul Cookson | Loads of fun, this is a light-hearted and crackling collection of poems which touches on magic of all kinds. Mostly newly written, but interspersed with well-known verses from Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll and Tennyson, the poems are bursting with energy and humour which makes them fun to read and also an easy introduction to writing verse to anyone who wants to give it a try. Dragons, wizards, wands and how to look after them, unicorns and enchantments. All this and more come alive in this anthology.
Paul Cookson’s collection does not claim to be the definitive hundred brilliant poems, but it comes close; providing a fun, inspiring and diverse introduction to poetry for children. Not only are the classics of Shakespeare, Wordsworth and Whitman out in force, but Cookson also introduces the delights of brand new poetry. His own poem ‘Let No One Steal Your Dreams’ is a beautiful and empowering opening, offering a message of encouragement that lingers in the mind as you read on. A collection to dip into before bed-time or to devour whole, which both children and adults will relish. A message from Gaby Morgan, Editorial Director at Pan Macmillan A gorgeous pick-and-mix packed with long-term favouries, song lyrics and brand-new delights. reading it out loud wull guarantee joy! It also includes some handy hints and starting points for reading, writing and performing at the back. A message from Paul Cookson Hello and welcome to 100 Brilliant Poems for Children. There will never be a definitive hundred brilliant poems . . . but I know that these are a hundred brilliant poems. I wanted to choose poems that have some sort of longevity: poems that are already classics, poems that are modern classics and poems that I feel will have a life beyond this book and become classics in their own right.The collection starts with my own ‘Let No One Steal Your Dreams’ – in fact, the idea for the collection started with that poem. It’s that feeling we are looking for – poems that inspire, and that are aspirational and entertaining in every way. I’ve chosen poems by my favourite poets, poems that I wish I’d written, poems that I’ll be forever jealous of and poems that have inspired me. I also wanted to include a few pieces that haven’t been seen before in a book for children. Words that have meant something to me, words that have touched me at particular times. I say words – as some of them began as songs I’ve played again and again, but with words that I feel work well as stand-alone poems. Not many songwriters are poets, but some are and I’ve included a few here – Billy Bragg, Michael McDermott, Nigel Stonier, Martin Stephenson, Henry Priestman (The Christians), Miles Hunt (The Wonder Stuff) and Stan Cullimore (The Housemartins). Check them out – I hope you like them. No, I’ll rephrase that – I hope you love them. Enjoy!
A terrific little book that’s full of poems about football. Many kids think poems are not for them, but perhaps with football fever in the air, as it is at the moment you can persuade them otherwise. This collection is full of humour and magic and includes poems about watching the matches, cheering on your heroes, reliving your favourite bits, the joy of winning, the heartbreak of losing and much, much more. The author is the poet in Residence at The National Football Museum and you could even become a fan by joining him on his Facebook page: Paul Cookson Poetry Fans (click here).Here’s one of our favourite poems from the collection but to read plenty of others, why not open the extract: GoalkeeperI patrol my goal from side to sideLike some demented spiderI leap to keep my net secureBut the goal keeps growing wider Click here to link back to a page featuring all of our World Cup selections.
Written daily throughout the UK's restrictions to combat coronavirus, Pig's Ear, Dog's Dinner picks up directly from Volume 2, Can of Worms. Covering the period from the introduction of the 'Three-Tier System' through to the anniversary of the first lockdown, Paul Cookson's closing volume is humorous, compassionate, political and principled, and a reflective documentation of the nation's wellbeing.
Paul Cookson’s collection does not claim to be the definitive hundred brilliant poems, but it comes close; providing a fun, inspiring and diverse introduction to poetry for children. Not only are the classics of Shakespeare, Wordsworth and Whitman out in force, but Cookson also introduces the delights of brand new poetry. His own poem ‘Let No One Steal Your Dreams’ is a beautiful and empowering opening, offering a message of encouragement that lingers in the mind as you read on. A collection to dip into before bed-time or to devour whole, which both children and adults will relish. A message from Gaby Morgan, Editorial Director at Pan Macmillan A gorgeous pick-and-mix packed with long-term favouries, song lyrics and brand-new delights. reading it out loud wull guarantee joy! It also includes some handy hints and starting points for reading, writing and performing at the back. A message from Paul Cookson Hello and welcome to 100 Brilliant Poems for Children. There will never be a definitive hundred brilliant poems . . . but I know that these are a hundred brilliant poems. I wanted to choose poems that have some sort of longevity: poems that are already classics, poems that are modern classics and poems that I feel will have a life beyond this book and become classics in their own right.The collection starts with my own ‘Let No One Steal Your Dreams’ – in fact, the idea for the collection started with that poem. It’s that feeling we are looking for – poems that inspire, and that are aspirational and entertaining in every way. I’ve chosen poems by my favourite poets, poems that I wish I’d written, poems that I’ll be forever jealous of and poems that have inspired me. I also wanted to include a few pieces that haven’t been seen before in a book for children. Words that have meant something to me, words that have touched me at particular times. I say words – as some of them began as songs I’ve played again and again, but with words that I feel work well as stand-alone poems. Not many songwriters are poets, but some are and I’ve included a few here – Billy Bragg, Michael McDermott, Nigel Stonier, Martin Stephenson, Henry Priestman (The Christians), Miles Hunt (The Wonder Stuff) and Stan Cullimore (The Housemartins). Check them out – I hope you like them. No, I’ll rephrase that – I hope you love them. Enjoy!
Written daily throughout the UK's COVID-19 regulatory restrictions, Paul Cookson's new collection picks up directly from his first volume, Fighting Talk. These poems document the period of July to mid-October 2020 - from the pubs re-opening through to the introduction of the 'Three-Tier System'. Compassionate, humorous, political and principled, here is another extraordinary collection for extraordinary times and a continuing discourse on the mood of a nation. Paul Cookson is on the ball with poetry and life in the here and now. These trying times need poets to help us find a compass. This book is a must. - Michael Rosen Paul's poetry gives voice to all the things that scare us and all the things that lift us, and everything in between. When we look back at 2020/21 and think what was all that about? his work will help us to remember and to see how far we've come. - Rev. Kate Bottley A sublime collection of instinctive and honest poems that will undoubtedly serve as a poignant and definitive record of a challenging, turbulent year. - Badly Drawn Boy
Composed throughout the initial phase of the UK's coronavirus lockdown, 'National Reading Hero' Paul Cookson's poetry diary covers the period of 23rd March to 3rd July 2020. Compassionate, societal, political and principled, and laced with the author's renowned humour, here is an extraordinary collection for extraordinary times and a reflective discourse on the mood of a nation. Paul Cookson is a poet for all seasons and all occasions. He's never going to let a worldwide pandemic curb his creativity. COVID-19 will give up before he does. This book takes you on a Corolla-Coaster of emotions, but don't worry - with Paul you are in safe and well washed hands. - Henry Normal; Paul somehow manages to season his cogent observations of COVID-19 with a dash of humour that makes you want to dip in again and again. He has you wishing you could drop in and join him for his daily cup of tea. - Valerie Bloom; Witty and wise, astute and acerbic, Paul Cookson and Chris Riddell are a dream team for these nightmarish times. - Tony Walsh
Magical Poems Chosen by Paul Cookson | Loads of fun, this is a light-hearted and crackling collection of poems which touches on magic of all kinds. Mostly newly written, but interspersed with well-known verses from Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll and Tennyson, the poems are bursting with energy and humour which makes them fun to read and also an easy introduction to writing verse to anyone who wants to give it a try. Dragons, wizards, wands and how to look after them, unicorns and enchantments. All this and more come alive in this anthology.
Football 4 Every 1 by Paul Cookson, is a brilliant collection of funny upbeat poems about football - playing it, supporting it, living it, breathing it. It's perfect to enjoy as you follow your team in Euro 2020. From the excitement of going to your first game, to the thrill of playing with your mates in the park, this book captures all the emotions involved in following the beautiful game.
Paul Cookson's staggeringly versatile range as a performance poet is fully displayed in this new collection. Humour, danger, wonder, surprise are the elements underlying his work. The collection contains some poems that need to be shouted and some that have to be whispered very quietly. There are many interactive poems in which a whole class or group of children can participate. BEEP BEEP ! WHOOSH! A great one to do with a high pitched Beep Beep and an extended quieter Whoosh! Silver saucer shining bright Flashing beams and laser lights Beep ! Beep Whoosh! Beep Beep! Whoosh! Faster than the speed of sound See it spinning round and round Beep! Beep! Whoosh! Beep! Beep ! Whoosh! Dissipates, evaporates Hovers, dives and levitates Beep ! Beep Whoosh! Beep Beep! Whoosh! Breaking laws of gravity Maximum velocity Beep ! Beep Whoosh! Beep Beep! Whoosh! Like a diamond in the sky Beaming down from way on high Beep ! Beep Whoosh! Beep Beep! Whoosh! Nasty pilot, nasty crew Coming down for me and you Beep ! Beep Whoosh! Beep Beep! Whoosh ...
The Very Best of Paul Cookson brings together twenty-five years of poetry. It includes his favourite poems and his most thoughtful, uplifting and memorable poems. Includes Let No One Steal Your Dreams, Father's Hands, May You Always, Invisible Magicians, This is Our School and many more.
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