CLPE is delighted to announce that the Paul Johnson Book Arts archive of books created by children is now held at CLPE.

Paul Johnson founded the Book Art Project in 1997 to encourage and advance writing and visual communication skills through the book arts by providing courses, talks and publications for teachers and workshops for children. CLPE has had a long and happy association with Paul who has provided courses for hundreds of teachers at CLPE over a period of 15 years.

The power of children's authorship in developing both writing and reading through bookmaking and publishing is one of CLPE's core teaching approaches in courses and projects. Paul has published a wide range of practical and helpful books such as A Book of One's Own, Pop Paper Engineering, Literacy Through the Book Arts, Pictures and Words Together and Get Writing! There will be an exhibition of some of the wonderful work from the archive from 5th January 2010 through to the end of February 2010 at CLPE. To visit, email librarian Ann Lazim ann@clpe.co.uk

CLPE in partnership with Excellence in Southwark (EIS)

'Fabulous writing... You can be sure that I will be putting this on reading lists and telling others to buy it.’
Morag Styles, University of Cambridge

The launch of Reaching Out, the eighth anthology of writing from Southwark primary school children took place at the Royal Festival Hall as part of Southbank Centre's London Literature Festival 2009. This remarkable collection is the work of pupils from primary schools across the borough. Children's voices can be heard sharing insights, expressing ideas and playing with language on themes that reach around the world or are closer to home.

Many of the poems are inspired by children's engagement with rich literature and creative learning experiences through their teachers' participation in CLPE's Power of Reading project. The children explored powerful, high quality texts such as The Iron Man, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and The Leopard's Drum through class sessions involving drama, storytelling, writing and art.

Funny, moving, affecting and provoking, this collection was developed through a creative partnership with professional artists working with teachers and children using a range of arts media to enrich the writing process. Illustrated with children's stunning visual art supported by Phillippa and Licy Clayden (Young Visions), a CD of animations developed with children by Tom Cross, and the striking photography of Phil Polglaze, this collection shows that poetry is vibrantly alive in south London schools.

Copies of Reaching Out are available from CLPE at £6 each
Order via info@clpe.co.uk telephone 0207 401 3382/3

CLPE's Power of Reading project began its 5th year in September 2009. There have been 10 Central London Projects and 31 projects in 16 different LAs nationally.

For more information about the CLPE Power of Reading project and to download a research summary click here

Silhouette illustrations by Jan Pienkowski inspired families who took part in a drawing workshop led by artist Rachel Labovitch during the Campaign for Drawing's 'Drawn to Bankside' event. Parents and children created remarkably life-like silhouette portraits using a projector, a flipchart and charcoal (plus hairspray for essential fixative!). Everyone also contributed to a group project, cutting silhouette animal shapes out of black paper and adding them to a colourful forest background frieze prepared earlier by Rachel.

Five families then had the opportunity to participate in an animation workshop run by Jo van der Meer of the British Film Institute. After watching a short film made by the brilliant animator, Lotte Reiniger, each family created their own short animated silhouette film. This workshop vividly demonstrated how much time and patience is needed to make animated films.