A photograph of A.F. Harrold with his glasses off, made by Iszi Lawrence in the past.

A photograph of A.F. Harrold with his glasses off, made by Iszi Lawrence in the past.

A.F. Harrold?

A.F. Harrold is an English poet, performer and children's author.

You can find out all about his work for children here.

This website collects together the things he does that aren't necessarily for children. There are poems, songs, books, videos and things that are similar to, but not necessarily the same as, the above.

The basic biography goes like this: (1) Born in Sussex in 1975, did childhood things. Started writing poetry. (2) Went to university in Reading in the early 1990s, did student things. Continued writing poetry. (3) Got a job in a Blackwell's bookshop in the late 1990s, did work things. Started taking part in poetry slams. (4) Became a full-time poet when the bookshop was shut down in the early 2000s, did jobbing-poet things. Started winning (some) poetry slams. (5) Ran some poetry workshops in schools in the late 2000s, did more jobbing-poet things. Started writing poems and stories for kids. (6) First children's novel published by Bloomsbury in the early 2010s, did more of that stuff. Pottered and loafed. (7) Repeat stage (6).

Although AFH doesn't do so many events for grown ups these days, he still tends to go where he's invited (if the money is right), faces the direction he's asked to face and reads poems for the correct length of time. Sometimes he talks more than he poems. Sometimes he sings a song(ish) instead of talking. Sometimes he is funny. Sometimes he is serious. Sometimes he dances. Sometimes he shows pictures of his cats.

Now, go, roam the website and see what you can find.