With thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
What a fabulously warm and inviting book it's a real go to book that I can dip in and out of with many thanks I can highly recommend.

How to Grow Your Own poem was a book I was interested to read, as I follow Kate Clanchy on Twitter and love reading her students’ poems, but when I first opened it and saw that yes, it really is a book about how *you* can write poetry, rather than a book about how she’s taught her students to do that, I was less sure that I was the target reader. I write, but not really poetry (although I have dabbled.)

HOWEVER, once I started reading this, I finished it in less than 24 hours. Yes, I still think it’s intended mainly for people who want to try writing poetry, but lots of its insights would be relevant for other kinds of writer too, and I think even non-writers who just like reading poetry would find it an interesting read - so much so, that I’m contemplating buying a copy for my mum, who doesn’t write at all.

In short, highly recommended!

‘I believe that composing poem is a fundamental human activity...’ This book takes you by the hand and shows you how to write your own poem. Poetry is everywhere, and Kate Clanchy shows you where to find it, how to look for it. Full of practical exercises, it can be used and adapted to teach at different stages at school. However, it can be used by adults and it would be very useful for teachers who want to write their own mentor texts; writers-teachers. In fact, you will find so much in ‘How to grow your own poem’ that you need to savour it with care, and certainly revisit this book a few times. You are not only getting a book but also a guide into the world of poetry.

I requested this book because I have always loved Kate Clanchy’s writing and wanted to see what she was saying.

This is an exciting book which aims to make poetry writing accessible to all by demystifying it. I love that she starts with ‘magic spells’ because ‘ almost nobody’ finds it easy to believe their experiences belong in a poem. Clanchy offers scaffolding to get writers started and I can see that the first task, to take from real life, could be attempted by writers of any age: ‘ nothing is too mundane for this poem’. Clanchy then breaks the task down line by line and writes with such confidence that it is impossible not to grab a pen and give it a go yourself!

Clanchy’s writing is persuasive and confidence-inspiring. She works hard to validate all experience and help individuals draw in their own perspectives to write. This book clearly encourages everyone to try writing their own poem; the emphasis is on ‘own’ - Clanchy goes to great lengths to include a wide range of voices in her book to make this act as widely accessible as possible.

I can imagine this book inspiring any mildly curious person to follow the instructions and write a poem. I can also see how useful this will be to teachers in the classroom and many of the activities in this book would translate into suitable lessons or creative writing opportunities; this is of no surprise, given Clanchy’s teaching background,

This is a fabulous book. It is instructive through it’s deconstruction of the myth that poems are difficult to write and understand. Buy it, read it, try it - you won’t be disappointed!