A CHILDREN’s author from Selby has launched a new poetry competition for schools across York.

York Castle Museum and award-winning author, poet and voice artist Christina Gabbitas have teamed up to launch the ‘invitation to capture children’s imagination’ award.

The competition asks pupils to take inspiration from several collections at York Castle Museum, including a Victorian wooden train, a toy ‘Strongwoman’ from the Second World War and an Edwardian glove puppet.

They are then being challenged to create an eight-line poem, with the winning poems selected to feature in a new book of poems.

Lisa Coombs, who is the assistant curator for early years and family learning, said: “York Castle Museum houses hundreds of objects with fascinating stories.

"We would like children to pick out their favourite object and use their imaginations to create their own story and turn it into an eight line poem.

“Christina Gabbitas will then judge the competition and the winning poems will feature in a new poetry book that will go on display in the museum.”

A teacher’s pack, which has been created by Christina, can be downloaded from the York Museums Trust website.

York Castle Museum will also be working with Christina over the school holidays with storytelling workshops on August 7, 14 and 21.

Children are invited to go along and join one of the workshop sessions, led by Christina, as she inspires with a read aloud interactive session based on her new story about York Castle Museum, where music and rhyme add imagination to the art of storytelling.

Christina is best known for her rhyming books such as Felicity Fly, Triangular Trev and Share Some Secrets.