Poetry Day Live Draw

September 16, 2020

With Chris Riddell & poets Brian Bilston & Khushi Daryani in partnership with Macmillan Children’s Books.

For National Poetry Day, former Children’s Laureate, Observer political cartoonist, poetry lover, award-winning writer and illustrator, Chris Riddell OBE, took viewers on a visual journey by live-illustrating a selection of his favourite poems from his new poetry anthology, Poems To Save The World With. With special guest appearances and readings from Foyle Young Poet Khushi Daryani and Brian Bilston, whose witty bite-sized verses have won him the accolade of “the poet laureate of Twitter.”

This event really showed the emotions and the effect of poetry and drawing in person. Our students liked the positive quotes and felt it was a very nice and calming event. I knew some of these poems previously but blending them with art added an extra dimension to the experience of the poems. It was interesting to see Chris’ interpretations of what the poems created in his head.

Librarian, Kemnay Academy, Aberdeenshire.

Poems to Save the World With, chosen and illustrated by Chris Riddell (Macmillan, £12.99)