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Rhythm and Poetry

by Karl Nova, illustrated by Joseph Witchall

Interest age: 11 to 16
Reading age: 11+

Published by Caboodle Books, 2017

  • Poetry and rhyme

About this book

If you think rap is all about gangsters, bravado and attacking the establishment, this written debut by hip hop performance poet Karl Nova might make you think again.

Rhythm and Poetry is about being true to yourself, fostering a spirit of curiosity and following your dreams. Universal experiences of school and peer pressure are explored alongside contemporary issues such as celebrity and internet trolls.

This deeply personal collection captures the beat and tone of rap and is ideal as a source of performance pieces. The life experiences that inspired each poem are shared in brief notes and show vulnerability and a profound connection to the subjects.

The author’s passion for words and music leaps off the page in this stunning, relevant and accessible book that may well inspire readers to pick up a pen, or a microphone, and have a go at putting their own thoughts and ideas into words.

Winner of the CLiPPA Award for Children’s Poetry in 2018. 

About the author

Karl Nova is a hip hop artist, performance poet and award-winning author who also works as an educator running hip-hop flavoured creative writing workshops in schools all over the UK and abroad. His debut collection of poetry and short stories, Rhythm And Poetry, won the 2018 CLiPPA Poetry Award, which was presented to him at the National Theatre, London by Grace Nichols. The book has been a hit with children as young as seven all the way up into adolescence.

Karl focuses on questioning the narrow definitions of what poetry is, as well as the discovery of the joy of poetic expression which came to him through the lyricism of rap music and the creativity found in spoken word slam poetry. He deals with growing up through childhood into adulthood and is often very humorous in his storytelling and reflections. Karl is based in London.

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