Karl Nova wins Ruth Rendell Award 2020 for outstanding contribu:on to literacy Hip Hop ar(st, author and poet Karl Nova ( Rhythm and Poetry , Caboodle Books) has won the coveted Ruth Rendell Award for his outstanding contribu(on to raising literacy levels in the UK in the last year. Former winners of the Award include Children’s Laureate Cressida Cowell , Andy McNab and Tom Palmer Karl’s unwavering commitment to con(nuing and furthering his work to inspire young readers and writers through his crea(ve wri(ng workshops, talks and poetry con(nued during lockdown through digital channels which enabled him to reach children and young people all over the UK and beyond. In 2021 , Karl Nova’s achievements included: Fron:ng the Premier League Wri:ng Stars poetry compe::on, inspiring over 7,000 entries with his poem Beau%ful Ambi%on and returning to his old primary school to deliver an assembly and individual poetry workshops to Key Stage One and Key Stage Two classes, as well as officially opening the school's new library Being an ambassador for Na:onal Poetry Day, sharing a new poem, ‘see through my eyes’ to celebrate the day and inspire children and young people to get involved Delivering crea:ve wri:ng workshops in person and digitally to children and young people all over the UK and interna:onally including at Hay Fes:val and Bradford Literature Fes:val P o e t r y ? W h e n I w a s a k i d p o e t r y s e e m e d b o r i n g c o m p l e x w o r d s o n a p a g e t h a t a l m o s t l e ! m e s n o r i n g I f e l t n o c o n n e c " o n t h e l a n g u a g e s e e m e d f o r e i g n i f i t f o u g h t f o r m y a # e n " o n i t w a s p o i n t l e s s w a r r i n g I w a s i n t r o d u c e d t o t e x t s h e l d i n h i g h e s t e e m I d i d r e c o g n i s e t h e g e n i u s b u t t h e y m e a n t n o t h i n g t o m e a l l t h a t c h a n g e d w h e n I h e a r d a n M C s p e a k a p o e " c l a n g u a g e t h a t r e a l l y h i t d e e p i t ' s l i k e I w o k e u p f r o m b e i n g f a s t a s l e e p e v e r y t h i n g s e e m e d t o s l o w d o w n I f e l t m y s o u l l e a p I w a s a m a z e d h o w h i s w o r d s t r a n s f o r m e d h i m f r o m b e i n g a s k i n n y g e e k i n t o s o m e o n e e n o r m o u s H e g a i n e d e n e r g y a s h e k e p t p e r f o r m i n g S o m e t h i n g w a s a w a k e n e d i n m e t h a t w a s d o r m a n t i t d e e p l y m o v e d m e t o p i c k u p a p e n a n d p u t d o w n l i n e s o f m y o w n 8 l o t s o f g e m s I d i s c o v e r e d , b u r i e d d e e p i n m y s o u l I d u g d e e p e r s t r u c k o i l a n d f o u n d g o l d n o w I s h a r e a l l t h e s e r i c h e s t h a t I ' v e f o u n d c o m m u n i c a ! n g f e e l i n g s a n d t h o u g h t s t h r o u g h s o u n d n o w t h a t ' s p o e t r y I ' m g l a d t h a t I ' v e f o u n d t h e k i n d t h a t s p e a k s t o m e r i g h t h e r e a n d r i g h t n o w e v e r I g o t o s c h o o l s t o p e r f o r m a n d d o w o r k s h o p s , I a s k t h e p e o p l e i f t h e y l i k e p o e t r y a n d t h e a n s w e r i s n o r m a l l y n o W h e n f t h e y l i k e r a p , t h e a n s w e r i s n o r m a l l y y e s W h e n I s h o w t h e m Winner of the 2018 CLiPPA Poetry Book Of The Year 9780995488540 £5.99 Caboodle Books STOP PRESS ‘The Curious Case of Karl Nova’ the new Karl Nova :tle being rush released in January 2021