From T.S. Eliot to Naomi Shihab Nye, poets have always loved the freedom of writing for children and the picture book form offers endless opportunity for poetic play. So how can we use and develop our poetic skills to explore picture book writing?

During this one-day course we’ll look at a variety of poetic techniques such as alliteration, repetition, imagery, rhyme, and metaphor, to see how they transfer to picture books. Throughout the day, there’ll also be a chance to respond to writing prompts and dive into your imagination to find the sparks that give life to stories.

Kathryn Simmonds’s third collection, Scenes from Life on Earth, is published by Salt. Her poems have appeared in various publications including Poetry, The Guardian, The New Statesman, The Poetry Review and The Irish Times and, along with her short stories, have been broadcast on BBC radio. Her first picture book, Be my Sunflower is published by Walker and her latest picture book is also published by Walker Books Trouble at the Bug Hotel (illustrated by Tor Freeman).

Date: 11am–5pm (BST), Saturday 25 October 2025
Location: The Bindery, 51 Hatton Garden, London, EC1N 8HN.
Cost: £65

Book your place here