John Agard

John Agard became the first poet to receive the BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award in November 2021, a profound recognition for his contributions to children’s literature, alongside the prestigious Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 2012. Early in his career, Agard published his first poetry while in sixth form and authored two books in Guyana, serving as a sub-editor and feature writer for the ‘Guyana Sunday Chronicle’. Upon relocating to Britain in 1977, he engaged with literary and educational fields, including roles at the Commonwealth Institute and the BBC in London. Over an eight-year tenure (approx.

He also received the Paul Hamlyn Award for Poetry in 1997 and the Cholmondeley Award in 2004. Agard’s distinguished career continued with his election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2007, the same year his ‘We Brits’ was shortlisted for the British Book Awards Decibel Writer of the Year. He served as poet-in-residence at the National Maritime Museum in 2008 and received the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education poetry award for ‘The Young Inferno’ in 2009. His book ‘My Name is Book’ was longlisted for the 2016 CILIP Carnegie Medal, underscoring his appeal in children’s literature.

Beyond his extensive bibliography, Agard has showcased his remarkable versatility by writing acclaimed verse plays and librettos for esteemed venues such as the Little Angel Theatre and the Glyndebourne Festival. His active presence in the literary community, culminating in the BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award in November 2021, solidifies his legacy as a seminal figure whose profound contributions have shaped contemporary poetry and children’s literature.