Celebrating the world of words

The Doodling Poet

Find The Doodling Poet as he pops up in and around Newark Library for some doodling, poems, colouring, and imaginative writing.

Chris White is a writer, illustrator and performance poet from Derby, UK. Known as "The Doodling Poet", Chris has featured at many popular literary festivals across the UK, including Edinburgh Fringe, Edinburgh Book Festival, Cheltenham Book Festival, (and of course Newark Book Festival). Chris is a member of the Professional Cartoonists' Organisation and was proud to have his work published recently alongside Terry Gilliam, Quentin Blake, Hunt Emerson, Ralph Steadman, and Adam Hargreaves in 'The Great British Colouring Book' to help child refugees around the country. Chris has had his poems and pictures broadcast on BBC TV and radio and worked for the British government and the British Council on various projects. His book, 'S.H.E.L.L. (Episode I) - THE HORSE AWAKENS' was nominated for the 2022 Big Book Award. Chris’ latest book is a ‘ROBOTS vs PRINCESSES vs UNICORNS vs HAMSTERS’ which was published in Summer 2025. Chris was also recently given the title of ‘Derby’s First Count of Poetry’ after winning the ‘Dracula Returns to Derby’ Poetry Slam! Fangs don’t get better than that!