January Artist of the Month – Coral Rumble
We caught up with poet Coral Rumble for our January 2020 interview.
About Coral Rumble
Coral Rumble has worked as a poet for many years and is featured in ‘Favourite Poets’ (Hodder). Michael Rosen has commented, ‘Rumble has a dash and delight about her work’. Coral has worked in numerous schools, with all age groups. She has had three collections published and has contributed to 150+ anthologies. Both of her later collections were featured in the ‘Best Books’ supplement of Junior Education Magazine, and were selected as choices by The Children’s Poetry Bookshelf. Coral has written many poems for Cbeebies TV and Cbeebies Radio. Her picture book ‘The Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat’, illustrated by Charlotte Cooke, was longlisted for the ‘Oscars First Book Prize’ award. Coral won the prestigious Caterpillar Poetry Prize, 2018; her winning poem, ‘Mustafa’s Jumper’, was published as a story in 2019. Her new collection of poems, ‘Riding a Lion’, is to be published in the summer of 2020.
What a visit from Coral entails
Coral loves performing and leading workshops, and aims to build the confidence of the children, as they play with words and write poems. The main intention is to help the pupils understand what poetry is all about, and to have a lot of fun along the way! The day often starts with a whole school performance, to get the children excited about the individual class sessions to come. In schools where there is a well-developed family learning programme, parents can be invited in to take part in some activities, related to the visit.
Feedback from Coral’s previous visits
“Coral’s poetry workshops enriched the entire school. At a class level she was professional, encouraging, creative and inspiring. As a result, the school encouraged her to take part in a whole school assembly where feedback from teachers, parents and children was excellent. We would welcome Coral back anytime with open arms.”
Literacy coordinator, St. Agnes RC School.
“If you want an inspiring, stimulating and fun packed day, then Coral Rumble is the person to book. Everyone, from pupils to staff, was inspired to write poetry, read poetry, perform poetry, but above all, enthuse about poetry following Coral’s day with us at The Oaktree School. It was the highlight of our literacy calendar.”
Deputy Head Teacher, The Oaktree School, Woking
“The children thoroughly enjoyed Coral Rumble’s visit during literacy week. They laughed out loud during her readings and could be heard reciting their favourite bits days after her departure. Highly recommended.”
Literacy coordinator, Days Lane Primary School, Sidcup
“Coral worked in partnership with us on a poetry project. It was a valuable learning experience for the staff and children to have her amongst them. The whole school community was enriched by her visit and workshops. She managed to instil in the children an enthusiasm for poetry writing and performing. The children and adults loved watching her recite her poems. She made them come alive. All workshops done by her were suited to the children’s age and needs. Her commitment to the project and professionalism were commendable. She won many a heart with her warm personality.”
Literacy coordinator, Hermitage Primary School, Wapping
“Coral was fantastic! Really professional. All pupils and staff were delighted.”
Librarian, Headington Preparatory School.
Read about Coral and her author visits on her author page here
Interview with Coral Rumble
When and why did you join Authors Abroad?
I joined Authors Abroad a couple of years ago. For a number of years my writing career had had to fit around greatly increased family commitments, due to grandparenting and illness. When those commitments decreased, I felt the need to prioritise my writing career again. I had still been visiting schools, but my restricted availability had reduced bookings, so I needed help! Authors Abroad have been tremendous and have provided me with many bookings. I’m truly grateful.
When did you first become interested in being a poet?
I had always wanted to be a poet, but it didn’t seem to be a realistic career path! I took a job as an English teacher in a large comprehensive school, for 5 years, then left to have our first child. I began to write more during that period, and my husband encouraged me to send poems off to magazines. I did so and things started to get published. I worked on the performance poet scene for a while, only writing for adults then.
What made you decide to write for children instead of adults?
As my work was being published, I started to think that I might be able to build a career around writing. I realised that there would be opportunities to work within education, and so started to write poems that I could use with children. Those poems were well received, and soon my writing time was filled with writing poems that had been requested for anthologies. I came to realise, particularly as I ran workshops in schools, that writing for (and working with) children was my first love.
Do you think it is easier to express emotions through poetry rather than prose?
I’m not sure it’s easier, but poetry as a genre lends itself perfectly to expressing emotions. Add to that the fact that you are writing within a ‘small space’, and that every single word has to count, and you have a recipe for the ideal mode of communication of emotion with greater intensity.
How important is it for a poem to rhyme?
A poem should only rhyme if the sounds created serve the purpose of the poem. Rhyme can be a friend or foe. For example, if your subject is sad, lines that have a ‘sing song’ with each other might work against the mood you are wanting to create, the mood out of which the poem probably grew. That doesn’t mean a sad poem shouldn’t rhyme, but it does mean that you have to be careful when using it. The sounds a poet creates, through word choice, are part of the poem.
What do you think can be done to keep teenagers engaged with poetry?
I believe that keeping teenagers engaged with poetry should start right at the beginning of KS3. In the past it seemed that children were expected to leave ‘childish verse’ and child centred subjects behind them, as soon as they joined a secondary school. How unrealistic, in fact, how cruel! There needs to be a bridging period between poetry texts used in upper KS2 and lower KS3. To be honest, a good poem can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Teenagers might not become engaged with poems that seem irrelevant to them, but they will be willing to stretch themselves if they have experienced the power of poetry in their earlier years.
How proud were you to win the Caterpillar Prize for Mustafa’s Jumper? Where did you find the inspiration for the poem and did you feel it was special when you wrote it?
I was very proud to win the prize. The Caterpillar Magazine, designed to delight children with stories, poems and art for kids, is beautiful in every way. It’s a truly inspired publication. ‘Mustafa’s Jumper’ grew out of an image of a discarded school jumper. A child is supposed to be wearing it – it even has their name in it! I was thinking about the various reasons such a jumper might be found ‘empty’, and quickly went on to thoughts about children who have found temporary asylum here, only to have that safety taken away again. A school jumper speaks of belonging to a community. Mustafa belonged until all that was left of that belonging, was an empty jumper. I felt a deep connection to the heart of the poem so, yes, I did feel it was special.
How was it working with your daughter on your first picture book? Did you stay in charge or was it more of a colleague relationship?
It was fantastic to work with Charlie (Charlotte Cooke). I think we’re both good at working to our own strengths, so there was never a sense of one person being in charge. It was definitely a colleague relationship when we were working. She also illustrated my story version of the the Mustafa poem, also called ‘Mustafa’s Jumper’, published at the end of 2019. I knew her vibrant, honest and often humorous illustration, was perfect for such a sad book, and would provide light relief.
What is your favourite thing about visiting schools?
I just LOVE working in schools! I enjoy the fact that, one day I can be exploring action rhymes with the very young, and the next day I can be running inset for teachers, delving into what poetry is all about. Every age group has something special, and I love the challenge of making workshops age appropriate and fun. I get thrilled when a child is proud of a poem they’ve written, especially if they didn’t think they could write poems. I also love the honesty of children!
What is your most memorable moment from a school visit so far?
It’s so hard to choose, but I’ll choose this one because it had a profound effect on me. One year 7 boy had been particularly difficult, even heckled when I read poems! During the afternoon I worked with him, one to one, to help him write a poem. After about 20 minutes, he rested his head on my shoulder and said, ‘I wish you was my mum.’ It reminded me that children can only reach their full potential in literacy, and other subjects, when they feel safe and listened to.
Do you enjoy the Able Writers Days, how are they different to your author visits?
I enjoy working with all ability groups, but there’s a certain luxury in working with children who love writing. You don’t have to win them over to the idea that writing is a wonderful skill to be enjoyed, they’re already raring to go! I think the main difference is linked to that; you can take the children further because they’ve already started the journey.
What can parents do to encourage and foster a love of reading in their children?
Children are great mimics; you read and they’ll copy. You can even share appropriate things from your own reading, that you’ve particularly liked. Read to them, read with them, read around them. Of course, we want to encourage children to treat books with respect, but never give the impression that a book must stay in pristine condition. A pristine book is usually an unread book. I personally enjoy watching a child drag a loved picture book behind them, because they don’t want to be separated from it!
Do you believe literature can be a tool for change in society?
I do believe that literature can be an effective tool for change. I think that the writer, rather than ‘ranting’ about his or her orange box subject, should write to reveal truth that can be examined by the reader. A writer should observe, write about what they’ve observed, and leave analysis and response to the reader. It is not the job of the writer to tell people what they must think; that’s called propaganda. However, yes, literature can be a tool for change, as writers write using different lenses. Sometimes we can look through a macro lens, exposing one small detail, sometimes we use a wide-angle lens, to achieve the wider picture. The writer’s job is simply to expose what’s there in front of them.
What are your future plans and ambitions?
I’m very excited about 2020. The story ‘Mustafa’s Jumper’ seems to continue to have an impact, and one of my ambitions is for that to continue. The Publishers Association included it on their Winter Reading List, alongside 17 other books, which was circulated to MPs and parliamentarians after the general election. The books were also sent to a number of MPs, with messages about the importance of books for children, and the Axe the Reading Tax campaign. Such a big achievement for a very small book for very small people!
I’m also very chuffed that a new collection of poems, ‘Riding a Lion’, will be published in the summer of 2020. The target age is KS2, but poetry tends to cross phase. Although it contains many humorous pieces, I’ve included poems that deal with very difficult subjects, like bereavement. I believe that this collection confirms my ‘voice’ as a poet, so that makes me feel like a really grown up poet. (About time, some might say!)
Quick Fire
Paperback or Kindle?
Paperback
Early bird or night owl?
Early bird, apart from when I’ve been a night owl the day before.
Would you rather be able to teleport or fly?
Fly – I want to see every stage of the journey!
Winnie the Pooh, Paddington, Rupert or Sooty?
Ooh, that’s tough and mean! I have less love for Sooty than the others. Will that do? Sooty won’t read this, will he?
Beach break or city break?
A beach, in easy reach of an old Italian city, does it for me.
If you were Prime Minister for the day, what law would you introduce?
I would establish the Ministry of Common Sense, consisting of ordinary people deemed by their communities to be fair-minded and measured, and make it law that every political decision had to be filtered by its members.
Arrange for Coral Rumble to visit your school
To make an enquiry about Coral, or any of the other authors, poets & illustrators listed on this website, please phone Trevor Wilson on +44 (0) 1535 656015, or email him at trevor@caboodlebooks.co.uk