Kevin McCann
Biography
Kevin McCann,Winner of the Booktrust’s Writing Together Award 2006, a former teacher, is one of the North West’s leading children’s poets. Nationally recognised, he has an impressive record of delivering high-quality poetry workshops to schools and young people’s groups across the country. He has worked with hundreds of schools and has conducted sessions with children of all ages and abilities. Most recently he has completed workshops and residencies for Lancashire LibrariesHalton Literacy Festival, Knowsley Arts, NAWE and Sefton EiZ.
Website
Genre
Poetry And Creative Writing Surgeries, Workshops And Residences. Creative And Imaginitive Storytelling
Publications & Performance History
For children Creepy Poems (Usborne, 1990); Funny Poems (Usborne, 1990); Childrens Poems (Usborne, 1990); Green Poetry (Wayland, 1991); Science Poetry (Wayland, 1991); Animal Poetry (Wayland, 1991); You Just Can’t Win (Blackie, 1991); Wordplay B.B.C., 1992); We are not Alone (Macmillan, 1999); Unzip your Lips Again (Macmillan, 1999); The Works (Macmillan, 2000); Out of Order (Evans, 2002); Watch Out There’s a Ghost About (OUP, 2002); Wicked Poems (Bloomsbury, 2002); Hubble Bubble (Hodder, 2003); Poems to Annoy your Parents (OUP, 2003); Loony Letters and Daft Diaries (Macmillan, 2003); Poems to take on Holiday (OUP, 2004); Love, Hate and my Best Mate (Wayland, 2004); The Works 5 (Macmillan, 2006); The Poetry Store (Hodder, 2006); Scary Poems to make you Shiver (OUP, 2006); The Works 6 (Macmillan, 2006); Poems About Water (Evans, 2007) Kevin has also had poems, stories and writing strategies featured in Literacy Time (Scholastic). And for adults : The Trouble with Wings (Toulouse Press, 1982); The Waiting Game (Poetry Minibooks, 1985); Mirror, Mirror (Other Publications, 1993); The Bear (Blue Cage Books, 1995); In with the Shrink (Driftwood Publications 2003) As Editor : Beautify the Nation (Toulouse Press, 1992); Perfectly Acceptable (Liverpool Libraries,1992); The Isle is Full of Noises (Caliban Books, 2002); I Killed George Formby (2008) Script editor for From Dawn to Dusk by Kevin Paton (premiered at The Bluecoat Chambers, Liverpool : October 17, 1997); Commissioned to provide detailed review of poems from the Armenian by Razmik Davoyan for Macmillan.(2002). RECORDING :The Contraries (Third Stone Records, 1996); Poetry Now (Sampler C.D. 1996)
Workshop & Reading Experience
Kevin has worked extensively with schools and youth groups throughout the whole of the country. He has been Writer-in-Residence in H.M.P. Birmingham (for the Arts Council of England) and H.M.P. Wymott (for the Poetry Society), appeared as a character in a novel and had a poem included in The Lakes by Jimmy McGovern. He has run poetry workshops and given readings in schools, prisons, community centres, libraries, hospitals, universities, cafes and pubs and is available for workshops for people of any age, ability, readings and residencies. BROADCASTING : Poems and short stories on Radio City, Radio Four, Radio Five, Radio Merseyside, Red Rose Radio, World Service, B.B.C TV; Nothing Rhymes with Poets (Liverpool Big Screen, 2005) VIDEO : The Lakes by Jimmy McGovern (B.B.C. Videos, 1998). PERFORMANCE : Readings in both England and the United States. AWARDS : Joint winner of the Writing Together Teacher Writer Award, 2006.
Reference
One of the best poets in the country… – Jimmy McGovern. “Kevin provides that extra wow factor.” TES
Group size preference
Workshops up to 30.
Group age preference
Any
Working languages
English
Area prepared to travel
Any