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On the back of FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS being shortlist On the back of FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS being shortlisted for the 2026 CLPE Poetry Award (aka the CLiPPA) I've recorded a sequence of videos about writing poetry which are availabe on the CLPE website. 

As well as filmed interview questions, there are videos of me performing poems from FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS. 

Follow the link in my bio to see these videos. 

The content is part of an absolute treasure box of short films featuring children’s poets from recent decades performing and talking about their work.

Also in response to the shortlisting, I’ve written a piece about the importance of poetry for children. This is published on the CHILDREN’S POETRY SUMMIT website. The link to that is in my bio, too.

Hat raised to the CLiPPA organisers for making the award happen each year, and for giving poetry for young readers a great big boost!
What an honour for FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS to be short What an honour for FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS to be shortlisted for the 2026 CLiPPA award.

We’ve just done an online announcement of the shortlisted books featuring five poems read aloud, and it was a spellbinding and varied selection of what's best in poetry for young readers. There was heart in there, and inspiration, and music, and humour, and truth.

So please look out for the shortlisted books:

THIS IS NOT A SMALL VOICE: Poems by Black Poets by @tracintodd 

PRESS START TO PLAY by @sam_gayton 

THE POETRY WORLD OF JOHN AGARD by John Agard (illustrated by @shirley_hottier )

A FIRST BOOK OF BUGS by @si_mole 

And my collection finger rhymes, FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS.

Check out the CLPE website for excellent poetry resources, including videos of the shortlisted poets talking about their writing and why and how they do it.

And do follow the CLiPPA award’s progress as we move towards finding out the winner at the CLiPPA Poetry Show at the National Theatre on 9th July 2026!
An end-of-year poem gift - in a picture dreamed up An end-of-year poem gift - in a picture dreamed up by @meirelles7269 . 

Here's to some peaceful days ahead.

And wishing you eyes as bright as a squirrel's in 2026!
Seven years ago I brought together a group of men Seven years ago I brought together a group of men with the know-how and experience help teenage boys on their journey to growing up.

We created Kingfisher Project. And each year we offer a group of 8 teenage boys a 4-day, rites-of-passage in the mountains of north Wales.

Boys can get stuck, apathetic, anxious or aggressive, and we feel a key reason for this is a lack of serious effort to mark their coming of age and provide foundations for their journey into manhood. 

Cultures have long known the risks of leaving teenagers unseen and directionless. They have come up with firm, imaginative rites of passage experiences to channel teenage energy towards a sense of purpose and self-worth. 

This is what Kingfisher Project offers.

The 2026 ‘Call to Adventure’ rites of passage will be held at Cae Mabon ( www.caemabon.co.uk ) in Eryri / Snowdonia in the Easter school holidays: 9th-12th April 2026,

4 places currently remain available. 

The deadline for applications for 2026 is 5th December 2025. 

If you’d like to find out more or join our mailing list, please go to www.kingfisherproject.org.uk, or contact me directly on sean@seantaylorstories.com .

Kingfisher Project will offer rites of passage in 2027 and beyond, and we’d be grateful if you’d help spread the word about us on your networks, or directly to any boys and families who you think might benefit.

#KingfisherProject #ritesofpassage #mentalhealth #growingup #poetry #storytelling #ritual #supportforteens #challengingteens #supportforboys
They say grandmas outlive tyrants, that's why the They say grandmas outlive tyrants, that's why the world goes on! Well, I'd say grandads should get some credit as well. And it's a timely treat to have a new picture book from @bobgraham75, about a big-hearted, rather frail and rather magical grandad (and his hat.)

To help celebrate the arrival of A HATFUL OF DREAMS, here's a little tribute to Bob - one of the picture book dreamers and makers who has inspired me and shown me how to make books for young readers myself.

Hat raised to Bob and the characters and values he brings to life in his stories...
Here's to all nominated for the 2026 Carnegie Meda Here's to all nominated for the 2026 Carnegie Medal for Illustration. And especially warm congratulations go from me to @fionawoodcock .

Fiona didn’t go an extra mile when illustrating FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS. She went 101 extra miles!

In an early exchange with my agent about the text, I wrote, “Finding a way to illustrate these poems may be a stumbling block - or it may be a stimulus for wonderful, original visual invention.”

And in our first meeting about FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS at Walker Books I said to Fiona, “I think we may be giving you an impossible job…”

That was because I didn’t want cold graphic communication showing young readers how to join in with the finger rhymes (as has been done in the past – with drawings of children’s hands in the margins.) And nor did I want something purely decorative and beautiful that wouldn’t enable young readers to join in (as has also been done in the past.)

But Fiona made it possible.

She was inventive. She was open to conversation. She patiently waited for inspirations. And she found an array of different ways to bring the movements that go with the poems to life - all while retaining her unwavering commitment to beautiful colours and designs.

So thanks to @carnegiemedals for recognising Fiona's special work. Hat raised to the team @walkerpicturebooks for their commitment, humanity and know-how, and to Fiona for this nomination.
Grateful for a brief half-term breather in north D Grateful for a brief half-term breather in north Devon.
Thank you @nomad_books for hosting a wonderful FIV Thank you @nomad_books for hosting a wonderful FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS get-together with me an @fionawoodcock, as part of your 35th birthday (!) and #bookshopday .

The poems got up off the page and came to life in the young audience.

The picture-making filled the room with a spell of colourful busy-ness and concentration.

What a great space for sharing books What a lovely crowd came along.

#childrenspoetry #fingerrhymes #raisingreaders #fortheloveofbooks
Instagram post 18095474872668896 Instagram post 18095474872668896
Sat 4th and Sun 5th October, come and find us in V Sat 4th and Sun 5th October, come and find us in Venue 15 at @aoth_bristol .

Our front door will be open from 11am to 5pm. There'll be free coffee and popcorn. And I'll be selling signed, reduced-price copies of my children's books.

Not only that, but there are a total of 75 artists taking part, and 27 other venues that you can wander into and around.

Plus refreshments, workshops, a treasure hunt for kids, and a Saturday night of music and entertainment at the Windmill Hill Community Centre on Vivian Street.

Art on the Hill is an art trail to fall in love with!

#artonthehill #bristolkids #bristollife #childrensbooks #raisingreaders
You're invited to a free family event at @nomad_bo You're invited to a free family event at @nomad_books in Fulham, London SW6, at 11am on October 11th.

Come and meet me and illustrator @fionawoodcock. We'll be sharing our new book FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS in celebration of both #nationalpoetryday and #bookshopday. 

There'll be a lively session of riddles, rhymes and colourful making, suitable for children aged 2 - 7. And you can get a signed copy of FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS.

No need to book – just come along and join the finger rhyme fun.
A fresh book of finger rhymes for a fresh school y A fresh book of finger rhymes for a fresh school year. And a fresh way for the youngest children to step into poems!

These images show how I scribbled my way through the writing of FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS – the manuscripts followed by collages of the finished, illustrated poems in the book.

In times when children are spending hours at a time passively watching screens, FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS is a book that swims against that tide. It’s an engaging, active, dynamic reading experience which brings poems and young readers to life.

It’s a starting point for the confident engagement with reading, which we know feeds deeply into human wellbeing going forwards.

Illustrated by @fionawoodcock. Published by @walkerpicturebooks in the UK and @candlewickpress in the USA.

“genius” School Library Journal

“A fresh, wonderfully creative, and visually engaging array of rhymes to get kids moving.” Kirkus Book Reviews

“It’s a singsong volume that gets bodies moving and pages turning.” Publishers Weekly

“Oh my word! Me and my son (my little reader) love having our hands on this fun, playfully rhymey book!” Raymond Antrobus

“On the button … these poems won me over.” Tony Mitton

#fingerrhymes #poetryforchildren #poetryfortheyoungerones #poetryfortheyoungestofall
#raisingreaders #fortheloveofbooks
Good book news. If you want something engaging, he Good book news. If you want something engaging, heart-warming and lively to share with the youngest readers, DEAR LITTLE ONE is just the thing. 

Poetry doesn’t have to be sophisticated stuff for later in life. It’s a natural way into the excitements and possibilities of language for the very young. 

Poems are like word playgrounds. They build dexterity with language. They're full of test, discovery, delight (not for what the BODY can do, but the TONGUE!) 

Isn’t that the special role ‘nursery rhymes’ have played across cultures, across the ages?

What's more, books like DEAR LITTLE ONE are starting points for the confident engagement with reading, which we know feeds deeply into human wellbeing going forwards.

So I’m very glad to have got myself a copy at a recent launch event at @pickledpepperbooks !

DEAR LITTLE ONE is out this week. It’s by @bergmanmara and @claire_alexander_picture_books and published by @walkerpicturebooks / @walkerbooksuk .

#poetryforchildren #poetryfortheyoungerones #poetryfortheyoungestofall
Very sad indeed to hear that Allan Ahlberg has die Very sad indeed to hear that Allan Ahlberg has died.

His loss leaves me feeling lonely -
even though I never met him.

His writing, and the way it spoke with heart and warmth of and for children, invited me to try the same.

It remains an abiding influence.

In our un-book-friendly times, books have lost a best friend.

#allanahlberg
Thanks to the young helpers who took part in makin Thanks to the young helpers who took part in making the trailer for FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS - my book of finger rhymes illustrated by @fionawoodcock and published by @walkerpicturebooks in the UK and @candlewickpress in the USA.

Wishing you all happy reading, dancing fingers and poetry in the heart!

#fivelittlefriends #childrenspoetry #fingerrhymes #raisingreaders #fortheloveofbooks
An art exhibition recommendation, if you're in Lon An art exhibition recommendation, if you're in London this week.

A couple of days ago I paid a memorable visit to STREETLIFE SERENADE, a retrospective of 30 years of painting by @edgrayart .

His latest picture – a Blakean take on a Remembrance Sunday gathering in South East London - is one of the most resonant pieces of art I’ve seen.

Not many artists 30 years into their careers are there to greet you in the gallery and discuss their work. But Ed will be there, if you go along.

And what’s special about Ed is he doesn’t just want to talk about HIS work. He’ll be interested in yours.

Free show. Just off Brick Lane. Runs to Sunday 20th July.

STREETLIFE SERENADE
30 years of painting city life

ED GRAY at the 
House Of Annetta
25 Princelet Street
Spitalfields E16QH 

Exhibition open 4-20 July 
Tuesdays- Sundays 
11am-8pm FREE
Some FIREWORKS to end my week of finger rhyme vide Some FIREWORKS to end my week of finger rhyme videos.

These little poem gifts mark the publication of FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS. It’s illustrated by @fionawoodcock and published by @walkerpicturebooks in the UK and @candlewickpress in the USA.

If you're a primary school teacher, feel free to use the finger rhymes I’ve been posting in your classroom.

If you have young children, try them out at the dinner table.

Or just enjoy them on your own. Unless you’re riding a bicycle.

#fivelittlefriends #childrenspoetry #fingerrhymes #fingerrhymetime #raisingreaders #fortheloveofbooks
A new finger rhyme gift for you. Find this, and l A new finger rhyme gift for you.

Find this, and lots of other poems like it in FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS, which has just arrived in the book shops.

It’s illustrated by @fionawoodcock, published by @walkerpicturebooks in the UK and @candlewickpress in the USA.

FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS has had heart-warming feedback and reviews…

“consider FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS your new best friend” School Library Journal

“A fresh, wonderfully creative, and visually engaging array of rhymes to get kids moving.” Kirkus Book Reviews

“It’s a singsong volume that gets bodies moving and pages turning.” Publishers Weekly

“Oh my word! Me and my son (my little reader) love having our hands on this fun, playfully rhymey book!” Raymond Antrobus

“On the button … these poems won me over.” Tony Mitton

#fivelittlefriends #childrenspoetry #fingerrhymes #fingerrhymetime #raisingreaders #fortheloveofbooks
Another finger rhyme gift for you. Find this, and Another finger rhyme gift for you.

Find this, and lots of other poems to share, in our new book FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS.

It’s illustrated by @fionawoodcock, published by @walkerpicturebooks in the UK and @candlewickpress in the USA.

Finger rhymes have been around for a long time. Some are in the oral tradition of songs and rhymes for children. Do you remember FLY AWAY PETER, FLY AWAY PAUL!, HERE’S THE CHURCH, HERE’S THE STEEPLE or HERE’S THE BEEHIVE, BUT WHERE ARE THE BEES?

And there have been lots of books of them over the years.

Sarah Hayes collected traditional finger rhymes into an anthology called CLAP YOUR HANDS published by Walker Books back in 1988. FINGER RHYMES - an illustrated edition of original poems - was by edited by John Foster and published by Oxford University Press in 1996. Marc Brown put together a collection called HAND RHYMES, which was published by Puffin in 1994.

But look at those dates.

We made FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS, aware that it’s time to get something new and contemporary out into the world, to keep the magic of finger rhymes alive.

#fivelittlefriends #childrenspoetry #fingerrhymes #fingerrhymetime #raisingreaders #fortheloveofbooks
A fresh finger rhyme gift, for you! Find this, an A fresh finger rhyme gift, for you!

Find this, and many other poems to share, in our new book FIVE LITTLE FRIENDS. 

It's illustrated by @fionawoodcock, and published by @walkerpicturebooks in the UK and @candlewickpress in the USA.

Finger rhymes are in an age-old, wonderfully inviting and fun tradition of putting simple words together with simple hand movemeunts.

Try some together with a young child ... and watch what happens!

#fivelittlefriends #childrenspoetry #fingerrhymes #raisingreaders #fortheloveofbooks #fingerrhymetime
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