Incoming Children’s Laureate Wales Alex Wharton, a south Wales writer who is inspiring the next generation of writers through his promotion of poetry and literature, offered Emma Clark his impassioned thoughts on the power of words.

As Wales’ next Children’s Laureate – recently announced as the successor to the incumbent, Connor Allen – what do you see as the most important role of literature and storytelling in a child’s development?

Alex Wharton: I think it’s a combination of important things. Literature helps develop our understanding of relationships with each other and the world. We learn about ourselves through stories – what strikes us as good, bad, frightening, exciting. Literature can inspire us, comfort us and reflect the life we live, the life we know, or perhaps the life we seek. Reading expands our knowledge, developing our vocabulary and increasing our ability to connect with others and express ourselves authentically.

When you think about it, language on paper is remarkable. Reading and education is denied to many people, so we must celebrate language and its abilities. It can improve, transform and even save lives. 

In a world filled with digital distractions, how do you approach the task of inspiring children to engage with reading and writing?

Alex Wharton: I seek to inspire with a sense of joy, humour, playfulness and curiosity. This loose and fizzy approach to language dissolves the idea of literature being boring, formal and hard work – language is squishy, and poetry, especially, is open to playfulness and creativity. Language is musical too. Writing is combining words, like a musical composition. We are searching for the right words, appealing to the emotion and the rhythm of a story, nurturing the emotion and the rhythm of ourselves. This playfulness is not to dismiss sensitive or more pressing subjects, it is to illuminate the practice of writing. To take ownership of our style and to be proud of it. 

How do you intend to promote reading and literacy among children during your tenure?

Alex Wharton: I will continue to visit schools, as I have done for several years. To read and perform poetry, facilitate writing workshops and generally inspire a love of stories, of literature, artistic expression, curiosity and imagination. I like to collaborate and encourage collaboration through poetry, this unites our common interests. And there’s no need to see things so separately. Mix poetry with dance, tell a football story through drama, use the sounds of nature to inspire a song. I’m hoping to work in communities, too, and develop creative responses that celebrate the people and the place. Poetry reflects life itself; it is observational, expressive and artistic.

What challenges have you encountered in your role? How did you address them?

Alex Wharton: Many challenges we face are constructed, propped up by ideas or dated narratives, but they can have a power over us. Personally, I’ve always risen to the challenge – I want to dismantle it, prove it wrong, or diminish it for those who come after me. From race and representation to socioeconomics and wellbeing, there are many contributing factors that can impose limitations and challenges to our lives – professionally and emotionally, and many I have faced personally.

Being vocal about these challenges helps us all develop. It comes back to education, it broadens our possibilities, gives us an articulate voice and helps us challenge back, against the status quo. And that’s what I’ve done, I’ve broke the mould, through a pulse for learning – much of which is self-directed through books. I became an author, because I decided to believe I could.

How do you approach the task of promoting diversity and inclusivity in children’s literature, particularly in the context of Welsh culture and heritage?

Alex Wharton: I celebrate new writers that I find, and that have inspired me. The more stories and ideas we have from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives, the better society is reflected in literature. In my own work, I promote equal visual representation through the illustrations of my books. That’s important, to see a similarity of yourself in the image of a book character – but also to connect yourself to the personality of a book character, and this isn’t spoken about so much. Our hobbies, interests, personalities and dreams can and will connect us with anyone, no matter the race or ethnicity. With that, and as an author of mixed heritage, I celebrate my own personality and perspective through my poetry.

Has there been one experience or interaction with a young reader or aspiring writer which deeply influenced your perspective on the power of storytelling?

Alex Wharton: There are so many wonderful memories and I feel it’s more than a certain occurrence – it is a layering of lovely things. Children creating theatrical performances of my poetry, the high fives as they leave assembly; the parents who contact to say their child has not put my book down; the letters I receive from schools. It’s an absolute honour to work with the brilliant minds of the future generations. It charges up my own creativity; it reminds me what it’s all about. 

For you, what key elements make a children’s book timeless and universally appealing, regardless of cultural or linguistic boundaries?

Alex Wharton: I think it’s like music. It’s more intuition than intellect – more about how the work connects with you. This is not an easy thing to pin down. But it’s probably concerning authenticity. The place the book is coming from, the concept, the energy. And how natural these ideas live within the pages. Books that stay with us have a smooth yet unpredictable approach. They are comforting and surprising.

As a writer, it takes experience to loosen up. Writing can be incredibly conscious, especially when there’s a lot of detail and structure to consider. But it’s when it slips away, the words are spinning and pulling themselves along – this is the special and magical part of creativity.

In this role, you have a platform to advocate for the importance of arts education – particularly literature – in schools. How do you believe it can enhance children’s learning?

Alex Wharton: Arts and literature enrich our lives, introducing us to new ideas and new cultures. We experience empathy, compassion and morals through stories. We are entertained, empowered and embraced. The arts influence change, by encouraging us to see the world from alternative perspectives. There is a great togetherness and generational connectedness found in the sharing of stories, poetry, music and art. It is vital that arts are promoted, encouraged and valued. 

Can you share some of your favourite children’s books or authors, and why they resonate with you?

Alex Wharton: I admire the gentleness, and the clever, thoughtful verse, of The Emperor’s Watchmaker by Lemn Sissay. Other poets honing their writing for children are Matt Goodfellow, Joseph Coelho, Liz Brownlee, Laura Mucha, Karl Nova, Dom Conlon and Coral Rumble to name but a few. I kept it to poetry here because I do not know where to end the list – but my publisher, Firefly Press, has an incredible list of novels, many of which have a Welsh connection.

What are you currently reading?

Two recent Wales Book Of The Year Award category winners: And by Isabel Adonis and Paul Henry’s And If To Sing, a lyrical collection of poetry. I’m thoroughly enjoying both books.

Finally, could you pick one book for your recommended summer read?

Alex Wharton: For something different, perhaps, a slim book called The Living Mountain, by Nan Shepherd – a truly poetic, bright and spiritual exploration of the Cairngorm mountain range in Scotland. It’s a memoir of the mountain that invites the reader to wander deeper into the spirit of the hills; it changed the way I think about the natural world.

Alex Wharton’s poetry collection Red Sky At Night, Poet’s Delight is due to be published by Firefly in early 2024.

Info: linktr.ee.alexwharton

words EMMA CLARK