CLiPPA 2026 Poetry Award won by John Agard

John Agard has won the CLiPPA 2026 award for his poetry collection, The Poetry World of John Agard, illustrated by Shirley Hottier (Otter Barry Books), and becomes the first poet to win the award three times.

The CLiPPA is the main children's poetry award in the UK, run by CLPE. The winner was announced this afternoon at a ceremony at the National Theatre on London's Southbank, watched live by thousands of primary school children.

'Towering figure' in the poetry world

Poet and Children's Laureate Wales Nicola Davies, chair of this year's judges, said, "The first time I saw John Agard perform his work, over 30 years ago, I knew at once he was the most extraordinary artist. His poems gleam with human warmth and sunshine, but like all bright lights they cast important shadows, and illuminate things we have not noticed before. You can carry John's words in your head and your heart and warm your soul on them forever. His book The Poetry World of John Agard will invite new generations of readers into his wonderful universe and I'm delighted that it is this year's CLiPPA winner.”

A towering figure in the children's poetry world, John Agard is also a recipient of the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry (2012) and the BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award (2021). John Agard previously won the CLiPPA with his wife Grace Nichols in 2003 with Under the Moon and Over the Sea and again in 2009 with The Young Inferno, illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura. He was on the shortlist in 2025 with Wise Up! Wise Down, with fellow poet Jon-Arno Lawson and Kitamura again. This third win is unprecedented in the award's history.

The Poetry World of John Agard features 80 of Agard's best poems, with new illustrations by Shirley Hottier. Taken from early collections including I Din Do Nuttin (1983), Laughter is an Egg (1990) and We Animals Would Like a Word with You (1996), many drawing on John's Caribbean childhood, these poems resonate with young readers today but have also inspired many of the UK's best-known young poets.

Review of The Poetry World of John Agard:  "An absolute treasure trove of poetic joy, deserving a place on every library, classroom and home bookshelf."

John Agard at the CLiPPA ceremony, image © Ellie Kurttz 

Shadowing Scheme

As well as spotlighting the best new collections for children, the CLiPPA inspires young people to embrace and share poetry through its Shadowing Scheme, which has been particularly popular in the National Year of Reading. CLPE is delighted to announce that record numbers took part this year, over 600 schools and over 120,000 children.

Jonathan Douglas, chief executive of the National Literacy Trust, CLPE's parent organisation, who opened the event, said, "John Agard's poetry welcomes young readers to the magic and mystery of words, and his flamboyant, exuberant performances, whether live or on film, have turned countless numbers of children into poetry lovers.

"In the National Year of Reading 2026, when the nation is invited to 'Go All In' on their passions through reading, we're delighted to celebrate John with the award of a third CLiPPA and it's a privilege to do so in the company of so many excited, enthusiastic poetry fans, of all ages."

CLiPPA Shortlist

Also on this year's CLiPPA shortlist were Sam Gayton with Press Play to Start, a debut collection cleverly bridging the gap between gaming and poetry; Simon Mole with A First Book of Bugs, which introduces young readers to a wide range of insects through verse; Sean Taylor with Five Little Friends, brand new finger rhymes for the very youngest; and Traci N. Todd with This Is Not a Small Voice, a collection of predominantly African American, Caribbean, and Black British writing for children.

All poets, including John Agard, performed live at the award ceremony, Traci N. Todd via video link from the US. Former Children's Laureate Chris Riddell illustrated proceedings live. Primary school children from Heathfield Infant School Twickenham, Norwich Road Academy, Thetford, Rhodes Avenue Primary School, North London, English Martyrs School, Birmingham and St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Enfield, winners in the CLiPPA Shadowing Scheme, also performed live at the ceremony on the Lyttleton Theatre stage alongside the poets.

On the morning of the ceremony, the performing schools enjoyed performance skills workshops delivered by the National Theatre to support them in their preparations to perform on the Lyttelton stage. An audience of 800 watched the event live in the Lyttelton Theatre, while hundreds of schools across the country joined in watching the CLiPPA Award Ceremony via Livestream. John Agard received a trophy and a cheque for £1000.

You can find more poetry resources from CLPE here.