Joseph Coelho, the current UK children’s laureate, was born and raised in London. In year 8 of secondary school, he wrote his first poem about a performing bear. From there, he delved into performance poetry before conducting creative workshops in schools. Coelho has published several critically acclaimed picture books, poetry anthologies, and novels for younger readers, following his debut poetry collection in 2014. He is one of the judges for Govia Thameslink’s national poetry competition for children.
Coelho considers reflecting on the day before and what excites him about the day ahead important, particularly expressing gratitude. Coffee is also a significant aspect of his morning ritual. Coelho expresses frustration with the current clickbait society, where people are bombarded with terrible news. Consequently, he avoids social media, which eliminates the negativity brewing in the world.
If Coelho had not become a poet, he would have ideally liked to have become an archaeologist. He studied archaeology at university and hence, jokes that there is no money in it, leading him to pursue poetry. It is a strong work ethic that has helped Coelho throughout his life. Consequently, he strives to be intentional about the choices he makes. Compared to before, he now takes the necessary steps to manage his stress levels, giving himself enough time and space.
Coelho finds great joy in meeting young people, particularly those who wish to know what it’s like to be a writer and make it big in the world of publishing. According to Coelho, poetry writing competitions provide an excellent opportunity for children to write and share their perspectives with the world. When times get tough, Coelho finds solace and joy in cycling and making use of his body. Alongside cycling, Coelho attempts to write every day, carrying along a notebook wherever he goes
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