READING CAMPAIGN: Top author Michael Rosen urges youngsters to enter Sheffield Star's poetry competition - and win prizes

The poet and author, one of the most well-known figures in the children's book world, is encouraging youngsters across the Steel City to submit their entries.

The competition challenges primary and secondary school pupils up to the age of 16 to submit videos of themselves performing a recital of their favourite poem or piece of prose by Michael.

And the winner could earn hundreds of pounds worth of free books for their school.

Michael said: "It’s part of my life’s work to get more people reading.

“Performing a poem is like singing and the the more you do it the more it shows how you are living the piece inside - convince people looking that it belongs to you.

“I owe Sheffield and am very proud to have won the Sheffield Book Awards last year for my book; ‘Uncle Gobb and the Dread Shed’ - I boast about it and tell everyone!”

He was speaking at the University of Sheffield Students' Union last night ahead of a presentation on his memoir 'So They Call You Pisher!' as part of the wider Off The Shelf literary festival.

Some of his most celebrated works include 'Don't Put Mustard In The Custard', 'We're Going On A Bear Hunt' and 'The Zoo At Night' – but for our competition you can pick any section from any of his children's books and poetry collections to perform.

Recitals can be made by individual students or a class as a whole.

Once all the entries are in a special judging panel from The Star and Off The Shelf will pick the top three, and then Michael himself will choose the winner.

The winner will earn up to 30 books worth around £200 for their school from the kind people at Off the Shelf.

Email your video performance of a Michael Rosen poem or piece of prose to [email protected] by midnight on Wednesday, October 18.

The winner will be announced shortly afterwards and the judging panel will visit your school to present you with the prizes.

Terms and conditions

*Videos can be filmed on a professional video recorder or mobile phone.

Please submit them as MP4 files and include your full name, age, class and school on the email.

It is the school's responsibility to ensure all children who submit performances have parental permission.

The content may be used both online and in print in The Star and associated titles. It could also be used at events held as part of the Off The Shelf festival. Any child and school submitting content must be available for interviews with The Star once the winner is announced.