Matt Goodfellow

Born in Withington, Manchester, Matt Goodfellow worked as a primary school teacher in East Manchester for over a decade, before becoming a full-time poet and author. He has written poetry collections spanning Key Stages 1 to 4, and his work has been widely recognised for its accessibility, emotional resonance and power to connect with children and young people. His debut verse novel The Final Year (2023), illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton, became an instant bestseller and went on to win and be shortlisted for multiple major awards including the CLiPPA, the Carnegies, the Branford Boase and the Children’s Book Award. Its sequel, The First Year, was published in April 2025. 

“It’s a privilege to be working with BookTrust as their Writer in Residence. My residency theme is ​‘voice and choice’ which is something incredibly important to me in the work I do as a poet and author, especially when it comes to meeting young people at events in schools and festivals around the UK. We know that children benefit from choosing the books that reflect their voices and communities, and this is the message that I give to young people all the time – that their voice, their story, their life matters. 

“Over the next few months, I am looking forward to sharing some of my favourite authors and poets, and exploring all the ways in which books and stories can offer hope and joy to children and their families when they can see their own lives and the lives of people around them inside the pages.”