March Artist of the Month – James Carter
Our March ‘Artist of the Month’ is poet James Carter.
About James Carter.
James Carter is a prize-winning children’s poet, non-fiction writer and musician. An ambassador for National Poetry Day, he travels all over the UK with his melodica (that’s Steve) and ukulele (either Erik or Derek) to give lively poetry/music performances/workshops which are ultimately ALL ABOUT THE WRITING! In one Primary school in Cheltenham, an OFSTED inspector gave him an ‘Outstanding!’
What a visit from James Carter entails
James is very experienced at visiting schools and pitching a visit just right the school's and students needs.
An average day in a Primary or Prep school is made up of two assemblies (one for KS2, one for KS1/EYFS), four workshops in classrooms – often with classes doubled up, and to finish a Big Finale back in the hall with children reading their fantastic new poems. If it is a one-form entry school, workshops tend to be Years 6&5 (40 mins), 4 (30), 3&2 (30) 1 (30), if two form, most often 6&6 / 5&5 / 4&4/ 3&3. James is happy to consider alternatives if schools have suggestions but has found this works well. Assemblies in halls, workshops always in classrooms please, unless 3 form entry, and it’s three classes at a time in the hall, but children go back to their classes to write.
You can read more about James and his school visits here
Interview with James Carter
You’ve been working as a poet for a while, why do you love this job?
Many reasons! I love – and always have loved - words. Playing with words. And poetry is the most fun I can have with words. I can write daft poems, quiet poems, thoughtful poems, memory poems, mysterious poems. I love the vast range! But 50% is about me being creative, but the other 50% is about working in schools. I love schools, and love working with teachers and children. I’ve been doing this for 22 years now – visiting 1500+ schools from Inverness to the South of France (and many more online) and I also enjoy performing poems/music enjoy and getting children writing more than ever before! These days I’m very lively and cheeky – hopefully in a good way!
You have quite a few awards under your belt. Any you are particularly proud of?
Well, if you also count my cycling test award! Well I’m grateful for any decorations but I won the Reading University Children’s Poetry Prize in 2002 for my poem The Dark and that was very early on in my career and was really lovely to receive. I both studied and lectured at Reading Uni so that was extra special. But I hope this doesn’t sound wrong, but I don’t write to win awards, I write because I love being creative and love the challenge of writing for children. I just want to be the best writer I can be.
What do you think is key to a successful school visit?
Making it not about the writer but all the about the children. It has to be fun and interactive and engaging and inspiring. Which is easier said than done! So I ensure in the performances I am in that moment with them, talking with them, not just at them. I ask them questions. They ask me questions. I use a lot of humour. It’s SHOW don’t TELL – don’t tell them why words are so wonderful, show them.. I try to suck children into the experience of my poems in all kinds of ways, and even get the teachers dancing at the end! Telling children over and over how excited you are as a writer about your new book is not going to win over an audience – they don’t care, why should they? So you as a performer have to bring them into those poems/that book. Plus preparation for the day is essential. I always make sure the teacher and I are on the same page and are happy with what we have planned.
What do you enjoy most about school visits?
ALL OF IT. Workshops are as much fun as performances as I love hearing what brilliant ideas children will come up with. But my favourite part of the day is the Big Finale which I MC in the hall – with children reading their brand new poems. I love it when the TAs/teachers get a bit totes emosh when the children are reading out something really lovely – and that happens a fair bit. Very rewarding!
Any particularly memorable moments from your career so far?
Where do I begin? It’s not about the fancy festivals or the awards, for me it’s about meeting people. Teachers and children. Getting them doing creative things with me. Hearing what they have to say about poems, the world, everything. But I love all the travelling - whether it’s Edinburgh Festival or visiting schools in Germany, France or Spain. Having my very first poetry book (Cars Stars Electric Guitars) published was a life-changer as it meant I could go out and work in schools. And really, I simply love the day to day scribbling away with new poems, getting them as tight and as good as I can.
Explain to me what a melodica is?
Well. It’s a little plastic portable keyboard with a blow tube. Great for travelling all over with, great for having fun in schools – getting the children humming along with Baby Gaga or The Banana Song or the Spongebob Theme or The Dung Beetle Song and of course, getting teachers dancing. I’m really a guitarist, I play the piano a little bit, but it’s much easier to take around Steve the melodica and either Erik or Derek my ukuleles. I’m as mad about music as I am writing poems. I wrote my first song when I was 8. ‘The electrified spiders came down the street/going boom-ba-ba-boom-ba-boom-ba-ba-boom…’
Where do you find inspiration for writing from?
Where do YOU find it comes from? It’s the same for everyone! It’s literally everywhere! Everything is a potentially brilliant idea. From minibeasts to space to memories to wolves to what’s under your bed to EVERYTHING! But really it’s not WHAT you write about, but HOW you write about it. I may get an idea for something, but it may take years to find the right voice for it. I’m in no hurry. Most poems take 3 months at least.
Which people have had the biggest influence on you/being inspirational?
My wife has been amazingly supportive. And tough on me. And rightly so. I’ve had some brilliant editors too, but mostly I have learnt to write by reading books and by actually writing. I read everything (not just poetry and non-fiction, but a great many novels, picture books etc..) and I’ve been writing non-stop since 1997. My daughters have also been a huge influence/inspiration. Watching them growing up created whole universes of creative possibilities for me. Cheers, guys!
Do you believe everyone has the potential to write something great?
I do strongly feel everyone is capable of writing some really cracking poems or stories.
This month we celebrate World Book Day and World Poetry Day. What do feel is the impact of these designated days?
It’s Book Day! World Book Day is April 23rd!!!!! I feel Book Day as an entity in March has too much focus and schools need to do their own Book Days whenever they wish and whenever it works best for them. (For a start they’d find authors won’t be so busy!) Or not do it if they don’t want to! And some do their own in January or April or September, which is brilliant. Very few bods in the UK celebrate World Poetry Day, they tend to celebrate National Poetry Day – first Thursday of October, which unlike Book Day, is brilliantly placed – at the start of the academic year. I’m an Ambassador and a MASSIVE supporter of NPD. It is one of the key things that has created a great sea change in this country’s attitudes towards Children’s Poetry. Teachers now know and exploit the fact that CHILDREN LOVE POETRY. Does Book Day make a difference? Not sure. What really matters is that books are an integral part of ALL CHILDREN’S LIVES throughout the year. Everyday is a book day. And of course, a poetry day too!
Have you ever got the giggles whilst performing one of your poems?
Oh yes! But that’s fine because that then becomes part of the humour. I’ve been known to run out of the hall when I’ve got the giggles. But not all my poems are funny. Actually most of them aren’t. But they do have a certain playfulness and quirkiness. There can be at times too much emphasis on getting children laughing with poems. If you do too many comic poems, the brain switches off. So in performances I do a string of quiet/thoughtful poems and then maybe a couple of humorous ones.
What one tip would you give to parents who want to encourage their children to become readers?
This is a big issue with me as I particularly want to see more poetry in the home. So, for parents of younger human children, why not read a few poems at bedtime instead of a picture book? Am I allowed to recommend two of my own books for younger readers? (Mortgage to pay off, see..) I’ve had parents say they read my books Zim Zam Zoom and A Ticket To Kalamazoo (Otter-Barry Books) and they go down nicely! Poems do things that other types of writing can’t. They build vocabulary, they get children thinking, processing and learning how language is constructed and words are weaved together in a magical and musical way.
What advice would you give to schools trying to create a culture of reading?
Get in touch with Jon Biddle. He’s on Twitter. A Year 5 teacher in Norwich. Every child leaves his class a lifelong book obsessive! And don’t make it onerous or competitive. My thing is to get teachers reading a poem to their class at the start of every day. Teachers tell me that this makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE hint hint hint hint…
You are on the road a lot, do you still get chance to go to your local library? Or have you ever been blown away by the library in a school you visited?
I’ve seen a great many INSPIRATIONAL school libraries. That’s why I wrote my poem ‘School Library’ in my book Weird Wild & Wonderful. I visit my local library a couple of times a week. I love the place. I never know what wonders I’m going to find. I L O V E books!
When is the last time you laughed out loud?
Yesterday. At the Simone Lia cartoon in The Observer. She is LOL funny. I love her work. I love cartoons. In fact, until the age of 13 I mainly read comics and TinTin books. And then I suddenly switched to novels and plays and non-fiction and all kinds.
How much research is typically involved before writing a non-fiction book?
Thinking. Not just researching – watching documentaries, reading books, interviewing experts (like the dung beetle guy at the Oxford Natural History Museum) - but mulling the thing over as long as I can until I’m ready to start. Above all, I have to try and find an original way to write about something. A non-fiction book should be more than a whole load of facts. It should make you think and wonder.
What’s your favourite genre to write?
I write poetry and non-fiction, but the non-fiction is often in verse.
What are your future goals?
As always, keep going! Grow as a writer. And surprise myself as a writer.
Quick Fire
Would you rather be able to speak all languages or talk to animals?
Talk to animals.
Best flavour cake?
Shortbread biscuits. With a flat white or a hot Vimto please!
Do you prefer to sing or dance?
Sing. No-one else would agree, mind… that’s why I do it in the car…
Should your socks always match?
What?!?
What’s scarier a hamster in a tank or a lion that only comes up to your ankles?
A human.
If you were Prime Minister for the day, what law would you introduce?
Free school meals / 10 minutes of daydreaming in every school every day / greater respect and pay for teachers. I could go on…
Arrange for James Carter to visit your school
To make an enquiry about James Carter, or any of the other authors, poets & illustrators listed on this website, please contact us as follows
UK visits
Email: UKbookings@caboodlebooks.co.uk
Or contact Head of UK Visits, Yvonne - 01535 279850
Overseas Visits
Email:Overseasvisits@caboodlebooks.co.uk
Or contact Overseas Manager, Robin - +44(0) 1535 279853