Simon Lamb
@approx21words
Followers
833
Following
7K
Media
1K
Statuses
6K
Poet. Carnegie-nominated author. Spork enthusiast. (You’ll find me more active on the other socials. Just saying.)
Joined May 2017
Oh. Be. Still. My. Quaking. Heart. 🤯 It is with joyous disbelief and great pride that I can say “A Passing On of Shells” has been nominated for The Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing 2024. Somebody. Freaking. Pinch. Me. 💙 #YotoCarnegies24 @Scallywagpress #APassingOnOfShells
16
18
107
This #BookshopDay, I’m encouraging you to #ChooseBookshops. As a Bookshop Day Ambassador for @booksaremybag, I’ll be touring across Scotland, celebrating our beautiful bookshops, Sat 11 Oct. Come say hi! 👋
0
4
14
Self-promotion is hard and embarrassing… But it’s National Poetry Day. “In my thirty years of teaching, that was the single greatest input I have ever seen.” Let me have that one. x
0
4
10
Listen to @approx21words on @BBCScotland, talking about Mat o' Shanter, launched at @TidelinesFest today! Simon talks about his inspirations, childhood experience of reading Robert Burns, and why Mat o' Shanter is 'A Cautionary Tale'... 🎧from 10 mins:
0
2
3
Happy Publication Day to Mat o’ Shanter! 🥳💙 Inspired by Robert Burns’s Tam o’ Shanter and incredibly illustrated by Scottish muralist Ross MacRae, this is a book for everyone. There’s more to it than meets the eye. Out now from @Scallywagpress. #MatOShanter
0
1
10
BTS: • This was one of the last poems I wrote for the book. • I *agonised* over the word choice for “reminisced”. • I wrote this poem as a challenge to myself: could I write a coming-of-age poem in exactly fifty words? (Spot the tropes!) #APassingOnOfShells
2
1
9
Some big news here… 🙈
📣 Meet our #BookshopDay Ambassadors! 📚💫 We're delighted to share this incredible line-up of bookshop champions. ✨ Hugh Bonneville ✨ Emily Zobel Marshall ✨ Simon Lamb ✨ Claire Fayers Bookshop Day takes place Saturday 11 October 2025. 🎨: @whackochacko
#ChooseBookshops
6
5
12
What a glorious reading of ‘How to Start an Adventure’. 😍 Thank you, Rebecca. 49 more poems await readers in A Passing On of Shells, now available in hardback and paperback. 💙🐚 Check this out @bouncemarketing, @Scallywagpress.
A joy to fold in some poetry to a live broadcast at @OrwellChallenge on Sunday. Here's a treat from @approx21words and yes, I know it's hot but adventures are still allowed. Great collection. Pass it on! 🐚👟🚪🏃🏼♀️#poemaday #pauseforpoetry
0
2
3
How absolutely gorgeous to hear this poem (and ‘How to Start an Adventure’) read out live on the radio by @RebeccaLeek_ on @Suffolk_Sound this weekend. And read beautifully, I must say. Perfectly themed for their race day special. Thanks to Rebecca, the rest of the Rs, and team!
A love poem on a Friday. Pop it in an envelope and pass it on. 🥰 🐢🐇 #poemaday #pauseforpoetry (links below..)..
1
4
12
Just a reminder that I’m not very active on X these days — a decision that has cost me in the school bookings department. But there we go. Come find me on other socials and let’s play badminton. Or, you know, let’s play with words. Or whatever.
0
1
4
This is very generous. 🩵 Search out Coral’s own books. They’ve appeared within my “Yeah, but what is a poetry book?” project these past few years. Here’s to poetry!
Sitting in my favourite coffee shop, ready to write. But first, a coffee and time to enjoy, once again, one of the most skilfully written collections of recent years. Just love this one. @approx21words #kidlit
1
2
8
First school visit in ages (due to a health episode that was a whole thing) and I couldn’t have been smiling wider by the end of it. We’re so back.
Primary 7 & Primary 6 had a wonderful visit from the very talented poet, Simon Lamb today. Thank you for making us laugh till we cried, nurturing our love of poetry and encouraging us to live our life to the fullest! 📕Some amazing pieces of writing resulted from the workshop ✍️
0
0
9
This might be the closest to famous I’ve ever felt. 😅
Author Lizzie Finnigan opened our lower school book stairs today with our Reading Champions. Huge thanks to Mrs O’Connor and our Parent Council for making this project possible. @OnjaliRauf
@approx21words
@donaldson_ju
@OliverJeffers
@DrewDaywalt
@mossmontmomery
7
2
18
Happy Burns Day! 🎉 Later this year, we’ll be publishing a modern day reimagining of ‘Tam o’ Shanter’ by Robert Burns. ‘Mat o’ Shanter: A Cautionary Tale’ by Carnegie-nominated author @approx21words, & illustrations by Scottish muralist Ross MacRae, publishes on 25 September.
0
3
5
Our first event of 2025 is going to be a blast. 4 brilliant poets sharing the love of poetry is what the doctor ordered for a dark January evening. Thursday, the 16th, at 7.00. It's a free event, but you need to register https://t.co/0aaBaXrMdX
@FCBGNews @The_UKLA @OpenUni_RfP
5
25
43
Happy New Year! 🥳 Here’s to a 2025 full of caring and adventure. x
0
0
0
✨🎄✨ We wish you a merry Christmas. Yes, there is dark. But, remember, there is also – always – light. x
0
0
3
Absolutely loved it. Thanks for hosting VELCRO POETRY. Cracking way to tie off 2024 with this wee programme.
The finale of Velcro Poetry with Simon Lamb was fantastic! 🤩 Our #Classof2025 reflected on happiness, using our best memories as inspiration to write some truly beautiful personal poems on a range of emotive themes. 💚 A huge thanks @approx21words for these impactful sessions.
0
1
3
Our #Classof2025 loved the 2nd session of Velcro Poetry with @approx21words! As always, the room was abuzz with enthusiasm, #creativity & fun as we reflected on what makes us unique. Some truly beautiful & insightful lines were written & shared. #RRSA #Article29 @AliAllan_PLL
0
3
3
🏴 It's St Andrew's Day on Saturday! 🏴 Why not share the story of St Andrew, the Saltire, and a class trip to the local library with @approx21words' 'The Storytellers of Lochancreel' https://t.co/gSm2X7EWQj
0
2
8
🤩 Book! 🤩 Freaking! 🤩 Two! 🤩 Mat o’ Shanter A Cautionary Tale Illustrated by Scottish muralist Ross MacRae! Publishing Autumn 2025
We're delighted to share that we'll be publishing 'Mat o' Shanter: A Cautionary Tale' by @CarnegieMedals-nominated author @approx21words in Autumn '25! Expect a modern-day reimagining of 'Tam o’ Shanter' – the famous Scottish poem by Robert Burns... [1/2]
3
2
9