Michael Rosen

-In some ways, this is a quirky and intimate memoir. But Rosen has become that curious thing, a national treasure, and this book perhaps reflects the national mood - and the national need, even - better than a grander account of Covid might' - The Times
'Like having a cup of tea and a chat with Michael himself. Just full to the brim with wisdom, truth and beautiful silliness.' - Cariad Lloyd
'If I could prescribe Getting Better to the entire nation, I would. It's so gloriously full of the warmth, wisdom and incredible honesty that mean Michael is loved by adults and children alike. It's a book that inspires hope, courage and belief in humanity. Basically, it reminds you how to live. I loved every single word.' - Dr Rachel Clarke
'Funny and very moving *****' - Daily Mail
'A survivor's manual' - Guardian

Using examples from his own life experience, the much-loved poet reflects on trauma and grief with his characteristic insight and candour and discusses how it is possible to find light in even the darkest of situations.

In our lives, terrible things may happen. Michael Rosen has grieved the loss of a child, lived with debilitating chronic illness, and faced death itself when seriously unwell in hospital. In spite of this he has survived, and has even learned to find joy in life in the aftermath of tragedy.

In Getting Better, he shares his story and the lessons he has learned along the way. Exploring the roles that trauma and grief have played in his own life, Michael investigates the road to recovery, asking how we can find it within ourselves to live well again after - or even during - the darkest times of our lives. Moving and insightful, Getting Better is an essential companion for anyone who has loved and lost, or struggled and survived.

This book is a collection of the tweets that Michael Rosen created to amuse his many Twitter followers through the years 2019 to 2022 when Boris Johnson was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdon. They are unashamedly vulgar in places with frequent use, or rather mis-use, of Latin. There are liberal allusions to Winston Churchill and to the glories of the Roman empire, the Trojan wars and such like. The art of telling lies.is surreptiously slipped in to some of the funniest tweets. The cartoonists who have come on board to illustrate this marvellous work of satire are different in style and generation. Zoomrockman who in 2022 graduated with honours from St Martin's School of Art has a following already of young people who love his work. John Lightbourne is an experienced and loved illustrator at the oppostie end of his career. Both have had cartoons accepted by Private Eye. Together they fully compliment the collection of subversive tweets that his followers have many times suggested should be ' collected into a book'. This is what we have done to preserve the record for future generations.

A national treasure's journey to the brink and back.

'Will I wake up?'
'There's a 50:50 chance.'

Michael Rosen wasn't feeling well. Soon he was struggling to breathe, and then he was admitted to hospital, suffering from coronavirus as the nation teetered on the edge of a global pandemic.

What followed was months on the wards: six weeks in an induced coma, and many more weeks of rehab and recovery as the NHS saved Michael's life, and then got him back on his feet. Throughout Michael's stay in intensive care, a notebook lay at the end of his bed, where the nurses who cared for him wrote letters of hope and support. Embarking on the long road to recovery, Michael was soon ready to start writing about his near-death experience.

Combining stunning new prose poems by one of Britain's best loved poets and the moving coronavirus diaries of his nurses, doctors and wife Emma-Louise Williams, this is a beautiful book about love, life and the NHS. Featuring original illustrations by Chris Riddell, each page celebrates the power of community, the importance of kind gestures in dark times, and the indomitable spirits of the people who keep us well.

The true story of my family in World War II. When I was growing up, stories often hung in the air about my great-uncles: they were there before the war, my dad would say, but weren't after. That never used to make any sense to me... How could people just disappear? People with whole lives? People with families? So, over many years, I tried to find out exactly what happened. This book is the result: the true story of the missing Rosens.

Why play really matters and 101 ways to get more of it in your life. Today, we don't get nearly enough play in our lives. At school, kids are drilled on exams, while at home we are all glued to our phones and screens.

This booklet is third in a series about reading, writing and responding to literature. It focusses on how to make writing pleasurable and interesting and would be ideal as part of teacher training, staff discussion, curriculum development or just reading and using.

Every day we make decisions that are underpinned by our ideas of what is right and wrong. But where do these ideas come from? Where do our values come from and who decides which values are used in a society?

This book is a highly topical look at how our decisions about what is right and wrong play out on an indvidual, local, national and global scale. It examines topics that are strongly connected to the values people hold and their ideas of right and wrong, such as democracy, justice, fairness, prejudice and discrimination, education, climate change and war.

with Annemarie Young

An Anthology of Radical Writing for Children 1900-1960

Edited by Kimberley Reynolds, Jane Rosen, and Michael Rosen

This booklet gathers together some of Michael's recent talks and blogs on writing and reading, for use by teachers, librarians, parents, or anyone interested in engaging children and students in reading, writing, analysing why and how we do both.

Michael Rosen writes:

“In 1997 I completed a Ph.D. on the subject of authoring a piece of children’s literature – a book of poems that was eventually published as ‘You Wait Till I’m Older Than You’ (Puffin). In the thesis I tried to put to one side mystical and Romantic ideas around creating poetry and instead, locate the whole process in reality. This is in defiance of a very different idea which refuses or defers reality, arguing that all that we know is what we say and write. So I first wanted to make the argument that reality does indeed exist and I (along with all other human beings) have a specific place in it. There is also the matter of how we perceive and produce texts, through what has come to be known as ‘intertextuality’, along with the question of how we integrate audience to what and how we write. I sought to bring together these different processes and then by using them as critical tools, set about examining how I came to write a group of poems.

Going through all this, led me to the conclusion that I had nudged myself towards a Marxist theory of authorship and that I had demonstrated its method in such a way that others could adopt it, adapt it and use it.”

Michael Rosen’s lively exploration of Shakespeare, reissued in an accessible new format for young middle-grade readers.
illustrated by Sarah Nayler

Michael Rosen’s lively exploration of Dickens, reissued in an accessible new format for young middle-grade readers.

From the Artful Dodger to Miss Havisham to Scrooge, Charles Dickens brought some of our favorite fictional characters to life. But what inspired him? Who was the man behind the pen? Michael Rosen’s chatty and engaging narrative helps answer these questions and explores the world of Dickens and four of his best-loved books: A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, and Great Expectations.
Illustrated by Sarah Nayler

Jokes, a jack-in-the-box, jelly and jumping beans make children laugh.

As do practical jokes, peekaboo, pantomine and poetry that makes no sense.

Why and how does this work? And why does it matter?

Writer and Professor of Children's Literature Michael Rosen, whose books - from We're Going on a Bear Hunt to Chocolate Cake - have made millions of children rock with laughter, gives us the tools for this greatest of gifts.

Audiobook version of Michael's childhood memoir. Read by Michael Rosen himself. Available from Audible, Amazon and iTunes.

It is the evening of 18 July 1898 and the world-renowned novelist Émile Zola is on the run. His crime? Taking on the highest powers in the land with his open letter 'J'accuse' and losing. Forced to leave Paris, with nothing but the clothes he is standing in and a nightshirt wrapped in newspaper, Zola flees to England with no idea when he will return.

This is the little-known story of his time in exile. Rosen has traced Zola's footsteps from the Gare du Nord to London, examining the significance of this year. The Disappearance of Zola offers an intriguing insight into the mind, the loves, the politics and the work of the great writer.

In this hilarious, moving memoir, much-loved children’s poet and political campaigner Michael Rosen recalls the first twenty-three years of his life. He was born in the North London suburbs, and his parents, Harold and Connie, both teachers, first met as teenage Communists in the Jewish East End of the 1930s. The family home was filled with stories of relatives in London, the United States and France and of those who had disappeared in Europe.

Different from other children, Rosen and his brother, Brian, grew up dreaming of a socialist revolution. Party meetings were held in the front room. Summers were for communist camping holidays. But it all changed after a trip to East Germany when, in 1957, his parents decided to leave ‘the Party’.

From that point, Michael followed his own journey of radical self-discovery: running away to Aldermaston to march against the bomb; writing and performing in experimental political theatre at Oxford; getting arrested during the 1968 movements. The book ends with a letter to his father, and the revelation of a heartbreaking family secret.

This is a short guide for teachers on how to teach poetry – reading, responding and writing. It is full of ideas on where and how to start, descriptions of why it's such a valuable activity. It's for you to use, adapt and change as you think best for the school and students you have in front of you.

A detailed and very personal guide to reading and writing poetry by one of the country’s leading children’s poets.
Over many years as a working poet, Michael Rosen has thought a great deal about what poems are, what they can do and the pleasure that comes from writing and reading poetry. In this invaluable handbook, he shares this knowledge and experience in book form for the very first time. Starting with a detailed analysis of a number of classic poems, he offers a real “writer’s guide” to writing and performing poems, as well as a wealth of technical information and tips. He then takes a fascinating look at a selection of his own poems and explains how and why he wrote them. Complete with an appendix of poets and useful websites, and beautifully illustrated by award-winning artist Jill Calder, this is the only guide to poetry children and teachers will ever need.

A highly topical look at the current refugee crisis, encouraging readers to think for themselves about the issues involved. Part of the groundbreaking and important 'And Other Big Questions' series, which offers balanced and considered views on the big issues we face in the world we live in today.
Co-written with Annemarie Young

What does it mean to be a humanist? Is humanism a new idea? How do people live their lives without religious beliefs? The first of its kind aimed at the new curriculum for upper primary and lower secondary school children, this book will examine how humanists respond to fundamental questions about morals and ethics, the origins of life, religion and the state. It will look at how humanists mark the milestones of birth, marriage and death. How do people without belief in God live moral and fulfilled lives, with respect for humankind and the universe? A thought-provoking approach will encourage readers to think about the big questions for themselves.

Learning should be much more fun and former children's laureate, million-selling author, broadcaster, father of five and all-round national treasure, Michael Rosen wants to show you how. Forget lists, passing tests and ticking boxes, the world outside the classroom can't be contained within the limits of any kind of curriculum - and it's all the better for it.

Michael Rosen takes you on an unforgettable adventure through the history of the alphabet in twenty-six vivid chapters, fizzing with personal anecdotes and fascinating facts. Starting with the mysterious Phoenicians and how sounds first came to be written down, he races on to show how nonsense poems work, pins down the strange story of OK, traces our seven lost letters and tackles the tyranny of spelling, among many many other things.

From minding your Ps and Qs to wondering why X should mark the spot, Alphabetical is a book for everyone who loves words and language. Whether it's how letters are arranged on keyboards or Viking runes, textspeak or zip codes, this book will change the way you think about letters for ever.

Michael Rosen argues that William Morris' socialist poetry was part of a long tradition of protest writing and a signpost for future struggles. This volume includes work that has not been published since first appearing as propaganda in The Commonweal, the paper of Morris' Socialist League. Although poetry was a small part of his enormous written output, it is integral to understanding the level of commitment to change that William Morris felt.

Inspiration for poetry can come from anywhere - a memory, an insight and even broccoli! Former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen explains the inspiration behind a selection of his own quirky poems, highlighting that ideas can come from many different places.

Just how did Roald Dahl get into writing? Where did he get his ideas from? What ingredients in his life turned him into the kind of writer he was? Michael Rosen comes up with some of the answers to these key questions in his lively biography of the world's No.1 storyteller, written specially for children. Full of stories and funny anecdotes from Roald Dahl's school days and family life, Michael Rosen's fascinating observations creates a vivid picture of one of the most famous writers of all time.

What's it like to be a writer, radio presenter and performer? Read all about Michael Rosen's life and find out what he was like as a boy, what he got up to at school and how he became a famous poet in this fascinating autobiography.

So what was it like to live in Shakespeare's time? What do we actually know about him? And how does someone become that famous? These are just a few of the questions addressed in this lively and accessible book on the life and works of William Shakespeare by award-winning author Michael Rosen. Ideal for browsing, the text is divided into clear sections and includes studies of four of Shakespeare's plays, intriguing facts and information about Shakespeare himself and the world at this time, accompanied by a useful time line.
illustrated by Sarah Nayler

Michael Rosen's Scrapbook - a look at what made Michael Rosen the man, and what made him write his poetry. A useful biography, and a fun look at the creative writing process

An account of the life and work of the great novelist, with beautiful illustrations by Robert Ingpen. A delight for young readers.

In these pages, Shakespeare lives!

"In exceptionally fresh and vivid terms, the author plies readers with abundant, accurate information on the playwright, his theater, and the plays, looking closely at A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, ROMEO AND JULIET, MACBETH, KING LEAR, and THE TEMPEST. . . . This volume justly serves its spectacular subject." -- SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
Illustrated by Roger Ingpen

Co-editor and co-author with Myra Barrs

Here, Michael Rosen follows up his practical and humorous "Goodies and Daddies" with a book for parents of children just out of nappies and not yet teenagers. As a parent of five children, he fills out the book with details that are instantly recognizable, not to say painful, to other parents.
Illustrated by Caroline Holden

An anthology that looks at the nature of childhood, how it has changed over the centuries and how it varies from culture to culture. The book draws on a wide range of sources from autobiography, letters and diaries through to children's own songs and writings.
Edited by Michael Rosen

With Jill Burridge. Book to accompany the BBC Radio 4 Series Treasure Islands

This is an anthology of verbal protest, whether avowedly political or quietly subversive, against war, racism, slavery, chauvinism, censorship, injustice and oppression in all their guises. It ranges in place and time from the Ancient Egyptian Satire of the Trades to Vaclav Havel's Memorandum, in form from Chaucerian verse to Parisian graffiti, and embraces protest songs, radio broadcasts, the text of seditious posters and the transcripts of trials; Charlotte Bronte and Lenny Bruce, Aesop and Aborigines.
Edited by Michael Rosen with David Widgery

This is a light-hearted and practical guide to fatherhood from a veteran father of five, who offers guidance on everything from the ticklish "babies' blotches" and tempestuous "bathtime" to the one of the most important aspects of being a hands-on father, that of simply "being around".
Illustrated by Caroline Holden

Published in collaboration with Shelter, this book marks the 25th anniversary of this organisation. The writing breaks through the statistics and cliches to provide impressions of young homelessness in the 1990s. Poets and writers including Farrukh Dhondy, Mike Phillips, Geoff Dyer, John Hegley and Fiona Pitt-Kethley contributed original material to a collection that also includes interviews by a national journalist, cartoons by names such as Posy Simmonds and Hector Breeze, satirical sketches and photographs.
Compiled by Michael Rosen

How children write is one of the key issues of education.the author shows how any group of children writing, publishing and performing can build up an original literature of their own. It is an optimistic and enabling book for teacher, parent and child.
Cartoons by Tony Pinchuck

Poetry course for Secondary School students, discussing the purpose and meaning of poetry, its relevance to the interests and enthusiasms of its readers, and suggesting new approaches for the students to write their own poems.

Contributor, from TV series written by author

The second in a funny new series from former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen and rising star Robert Starling.

Look out, this squirrel is HUNGRY. So hungry it could eat boiled rice, chocolate mice, a gingerbread man ... even a frying pan! Is there anything it WON'T eat?

A rollicking ride of increasing absurdity and imagination, this hilarious picture book captures the occasional outlandishness of toddler moods. Based on the popular poem from A Great Big Cuddle, I Am Hungry is a terrific read-aloud from the master of rhyme, Michael Rosen, coupled with brilliantly bold illustration from Robert Starling.

A fabulously funny take on a classic story from two giants of children’s books!

Goldilocks and her little dog are off on an adventure, looking for that house again – the one with the chairs, the porridge and beds. The sound of the sea calls to them and before they know it, they have found quite a different sort of a house . . . there are bowls, and chairs and sort-of beds . . . plus some rather unexpected and hilarious inhabitants!

From Michael Rosen, the highly regarded author of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, comes this wonderful new take on the famous nursery tale, brilliantly brought to life by David Melling, the creator of Hugless Douglas.

This kitten may look cute and cuddly, but better beware: they're angry. Really angry. Angry, angry, angry! And this isn't any old "angry". This is a jump-up-and-down, roll-on-the-ground kind of angry. This is a spider-scaring, tiger-scaring kind of angry. This is a burst-balloon-ing, SQUASH-THE-MOON-ING kind of angry...

As surreal as things may get, this is also the kind of angry that parents of toddlers will recognize – a bad mood which comes out of nowhere, escalates wildly, then disappears as suddenly as it arrived. Based on the popular poem from A Great Big Cuddle, I Am Angry combines Michael Rosen's brilliant rhymes and anarchic imagination, Robert Starling's perfect knack for character and a reassuring message: anger may feel overpowering, but it doesn't last for ever.

Two siblings drive their mother to distraction on the car journey from hell, while Mum tries every trick in the book to get them to behave. All together now: “Are we nearly there yet…?” This hilarious picture book provides a familiar snapshot of family life, told with Michael Rosen’s trademark wit and genius for language.
Illustrated by Richard Watson

The third uproarious adventure from the comic pairing of Michael Rosen and Neal Layton sees Malcolm and his awful Uncle Gobb return, each with a cunning plot ...

This time, there is a plot. That's the plot of the story. Or is it? The plot of the story could also be that Uncle Gobb has an evil plot. And his plot is about a plot. A plot of land. Are you following? Good! The plot of land is behind Malcolm's school and it is where Uncle Gobb wants to set up his own rival Dread Shed School of Facts. Oh no! Malcolm is going to need to come up with his own plot to stop Uncle Gobb's plot. So maybe that, in fact, is the actual plot of this story. You'll just have to read this book to find out!

A timely retelling of A Christmas Carol for the whole family about a smartphone-obsessed dad.

Illustrated by Tony Ross

Christmas is coming, and what Leo wants more than anything in the world is a pet hamster. And guess what? He gets one on Christmas morning! Leo names his new pet Hampstead, after an autocorrect mistake on his wishlist. Everything is great, that is, until Leo realises that Hampstead is down in the dumps. What can Leo do to cheer Hampstead up?

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, unique tales inspired by traditional literary forms appeared frequently in socialist-leaning British periodicals, such as the Clarion, Labour Leader, and Social Democrat. Based on familiar genres—the fairy tale, fable, allegory, parable, and moral tale—and penned by a range of lesser-known and celebrated authors, including Schalom Asch, Charles Allen Clarke, Frederick James Gould, and William Morris, these stories were meant to entertain readers of all ages—and some challenged the conventional values promoted in children’s literature for the middle class. In Workers’ Tales, acclaimed critic and author Michael Rosen brings together more than forty of the best and most enduring examples of these stories in one beautiful volume.

An original story by Michael Rosen, inspired by the Charles Dickens classic Oliver Twist. Shona and her dad are moving house, and at Shona's new school, the rules are pretty confusing; she keeps getting into trouble without realizing! After Shona is unexpectedly given a mobile phone, she begins to suspect there's something fishy about the new boys she's met. Some gifts, she comes to learn, aren't exactly free...

All the mice scarper when Dread Cat’s about. But now he’s promised to turn over a new leaf and instead of chasing mice will feed them tasty cheese instead. Can the mice trust Dread Cat? Is the war between cat and mouse really over?

This book has a dyslexia-friendly layout, typeface and paperstock so that even more readers can enjoy it.
Illustrated by Nicola O'Byrne

Shnipp the dog loves to play fetch with Julie and Lara in the park, but she doesn't love their annoying laughs. So one day she decides to run off. It's not long before Shnipp finds a new life with Bessie the Bagel Lady, eating delicious bagels every day. But when she decides to finally head home, she discovers things aren't exactly the same as when she left...
Illustrated by Tony Ross

Bilal is terrified of The Test. He can't answer any of the questions!
But then Bumble the bee comes along, and he can answer any question you ask, even the really tricky ones. Then Bilal's granny suggests they go on the wildly popular TV quiz show, What's What? Win the Lot!
But what will happen if Bilal and Bumble do win the lot...?

Illustrated by Tony Ross

Malcolm is in all ways an ordinary ten-year-old. This is a perfectly ordinary story featuring one perfectly ordinary ten year old, his very bossy uncle, some baked beans, a school which tries to make interesting things BORING, the famed Italian city of Ponky, and a genie who appears when you rub your nose. It also includes lots of very useful facts, many of which are untrue.
Illustrated by Neal Layton

A lively rhyming picture book about transport by poet and former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen, author of We're Going on a Bear Hunt. Small children take great delight in things that go – whether by bicycle, car, boat, or plane. And best of all is taking the bus, because the bus is for everyone! Complemented by beautiful artwork from Gillian Tyler, this playful book will captivate little listeners and is perfect for reading aloud.

More mayhem from the four-legged narrator! When his pet human, Rover, goes to school, our canine hero thinks she is trapped against her will. He goes to the rescue, and when he sees her surrounded by monster masks, leaps to the wrong conclusion and to her rescue, with the usual chaotic consequences!

A brilliant follow-up to bestselling Rover and Howler.

The yucky things your brother does, the annoying things your parents say, the funny things you feel.
Michael Rosen knows all about YOU!
Family life from the brilliant Michael Rosen & Quentin Blake.

Wolfman is on the loose and he is raging and rampaging through town like a terror! Lamp-posts have been ripped up, paving slabs chewed – even the Army has gone into hiding! A terrific romp with a hilarious punchline from beloved author, poet and broadcaster Michael Rosen and the hugely popular Chris Mould.

When Terri-Lee goes to the pet-shop she thinks she’ll be choosing a dog – she doesn’t expect the dog to be choosing her! But Crumble is no ordinary pet and he’s got a few questions to ask.

Follow and join in the family's excitement as they wade through the grass, splash through the river and squelch through the mud in search of a bear. What a surprise awaits them in the cave on the other side of the dark forest!

It's time for bed and Dad is reading Emily and little Elmer a story. 'Danger Filth and Vacuum, The Terrible Two, are trying to destroy the world ' Who will save the day?

Till Owlyglass was the wickedest trickster in Germany, never happier than when he was making a fool of someone. Everyone told stories about his mischievous pranks, and they still do today, over five centuries after he lived.

In this collection of 13 classic fables, Michael Rosen passes on the wisdom of Aesop in a unique and appealing way. Modern, humorous retellings of such favourites as 'Town Mouse & Country Mouse', 'The Fox & the Crow' and 'The Frog & the Bull' are accompanied with magnificent artistry by Talleen Hacikyan.

Elvie is desperate for a puppy that she can train up to do amazing tricks. But it's not a puppy Mum returns from the pet shop with, it's a fish.

A very happy bear hears the sounds of the city from his quiet home by the sea and decides to find out what city life is like. Buying the ticket and travelling on the train is all very exciting. And so is the city! But after a while the bear finds the city a little too noisy and a little too busy - and people are beginning to laugh at him. He feels very sad and alone, until four children find him and show him the way home, with much fun along the way.

Leaving Toy School for his new home, Bob the Bear thinks he knows all there is to being loved and cuddled. But in the end it is a surprising and unusual talent that helps him most of all.

Raffi's brother Jake can do everything. He can run very fast, jump very high, dance and draw elephants. If only Raffi were good at something too.

On an ordinary morning, in an ordinary flat, an up-till-now perfectly ordinary Bertha does an extraordinary burp. A burp so extraordinary, it knocks things over. A burp so humongously big that very soon it's causing havoc in the school canteen, the playground, not to mention her grandad's apple trees... Such a burptastic secret cannot stay quiet for long. And soon enough it lands Bertha her very own celebrity stardom...but is it all just a lot of hot air?

Harry makes great soup. So Harry’s friends are always running to his café just for that famous soup. One day, Ryan the Lion, Jo the Crow, and Matt the Cat all bustle into Harry’s shop. "Take it easy!" says Harry. But maybe Harry is taking it too easy? You see, Matt the Cat is not too happy with his soup today. Oy vey! He doesn’t want to kvetch, but won’t Harry please try it to find out what could possibly be wrong?

Michael Rosen's brilliant new book of poems that are funny, thought-provoking and always with Michael's immediately accessible and child-centered voice. The poems included are a mix of classic favorites and also many brand new poems.

A sequel to Dear Mother Goose, this is a hilarious collection of fairy stories with a difference. All the best-loved fairy-tale characters are here and they all have a different problem, from the pesky girl who keeps eating little bear's porridge, to Pinocchio's mendacious habits, to the wolf who just won't leave Little Red Riding Hood alone.

From the chaos of breakfast and to the calm of bedtime, this quirky collection of nonsense poetry written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Quentin Blake is full of delightful moments.

My oh my, a tiny little fly is buzzing all around ... a great big elephant, a great big hippo, a great big tiger, too! With deceptively simple words and pictures, Michael Rosen and Kevin Waldron conjure a comedy to delight readers of all sizes.

Bear is playing on the beach and, seeing the seagulls wheeling above him, decides that he would love to learn how to fly. And there are four children with him who know exactly how to make that happen. An exhilarating story about friends helping each other to realise their dreams - and have great fun doing it!

One day, a little bear named Red Ted is accidentally left on the seat of a train by his owner Stevie and ends up in the place for lost things. He doesn’t despair, however – he puts his mind to work! With the help of his new friends, a pessimistic crocodile and a cat with a fondness for cheese, Ted finds his way home to the little girl who loves and misses him. Author Michael Rosen and illustrator Joel Stewart offer a sweet graphic storybook about pluck, persistence, and the pure comfort of home at the end of a long journey full of adventure.

ittle wind-up soldier A-One is in charge. At least that’s what he tells the other toys: Sally, Maddy, and Sid. When he tells them to turn his key, they do it. When he tells them they’re no good, they feel bad. He calls them all kinds of things: no good, hopeless, the worst. Or was that hope-use, good-no, and less-less? Somehow, stringing all those mean words together makes them start to sound, well, silly — and even though A-One doesn’t mean to, he finds himself smiling too. From the incomparable Michael Rosen and Bob Graham comes an insightful, child-friendly tale about learning how to be one of the gang.

A new edition of an old favourite.

A new story with illustrations by Nick Sharratt.

A very happy bear hears the sounds of the city from his quiet home by the sea and decides to find out what city life is like. Buying the ticket and travelling on the train is all very exciting. And so is the city! But after a while the bear finds the city a little too noisy and a little too busy - and people are beginning to laugh at him. He feels very sad and alone - until four children find him and show him the way home, with much fun along the way. This is a perfect book for reading aloud, with just the right amount of excitement before a wonderfully calming ending - just right for reading before bedtime!

It is a very hot day on the farm so all the animals are cooling down in the shady barn. But Cat is still feeling hot and bothered. He doesn’t want to share the barn with the others, so he sneaks up ever so quietly behind Pig and all the Piglets… and suddenly shouts ‘SHOO!’.

And it works! The piggies scamper out of the barn, and so Cat quickly sets about chasing all the other animals away too. But once he’s accomplished his aim, Cat sees that all the other animals are having fun outside whilst he is left all alone in the barn. Maybe his plan wasn’t such a good idea after all…

Illustrated by Jonathan Langley

It is a totally wonderful morning and Molly brings Grandma's special crystal into school for Show and Tell. But when everyone is more interested in Russell's water-squirting stegosaurus, suddenly Molly's day becomes totally horrible. Luckily Miss Plumberry knows just what to do to make Molly's day totally wonderful again.

An illustrated story for children.

Frank is sitting in the museum while his mother does the cleaning. He feels very alone until a skeleton comes and befriends him and introduces him to all the exhibits in the museum. So begins a night of strange encounters for Frank.

In this sequel to `You`re Thinking About Doughnuts`, hero Frank`s school field trip takes him to the colonial past.

The human world is as confusing as ever for our canine hero. He can't understand why Trixie is getting bigger and bigger, and Rex is getting more grumpy. Then Trixie comes home with another small human! And nobody seems keen on our hero getting very close to him. But he soon finds consolation with the rather attractive lady dog next door who goes through a rather similar transformation to Trixie! A rambunctious dog's eye view of the chaos a small baby brings to the house.
Illustrator: Neal Layton

After CARRYING THE ELEPHANT, this book of eighty prose poems explores the poet`s life through an illness that lay undiagnosed for ten years.

Michael Rosen retells the story of Romeo and Juliet scene by scene, in simple, lively style - an illustrated book that will be enjoyed by those who know and love Shakespeare`s play as well as those who are discovering it for the first time.

What makes Michael Rosen most sad is thinking about his son, Eddie, who died. In this book he writes about his sadness, how it affects him and some of the things he does to try to cope with it. Whether or not you have known what it's like to feel really deeply sad, its truth will surely touch you.

Piggy Piglet was wriggling in his sleep.

He wriggled,

and he jiggled,

and he rolled on to something very prickly.

Owww!!!

Piggy Piglet needs help from the farmyard animals because whatever it is that he has sat on is very prickly and it hurts.

Illustrated by Jonathan Langley

Old Roly, the cat, is tired - he sleeps all day. Mum and Dad and the kids all know he can't live much longer, but what happens when he dies? Award-winning children's writer and poet Michael Rosen deals sensitively with the loss of a much-loved family pet.
Illustrated by Priscilla Lamont

Illustrated by Caroline Holden

Illustrated by Christine Hall

Illustrated by Caroline Holden

Illustrated by Caroline Holden

Illustrated by Caroline Holden

Illustrated by Caroline Holden

Illustrated by Barry Wilkinson and Gwen Touret

Illustrated by Simon Jacob

A hugely entertaining story about one dog and his owner. When Rover, that's the little girl with red hair, NOT her canine friend, gets lost on the beach there's only one thing for it! Dog to the rescue!
Illustrated by Neal Layton
Republished 2015 in a new version by Bloomsbury

Told in a rollercoaster good-news-bad-news style, this is the tale of a boy's trip into space, as related by his younger brother to a friend. He begins with his brother's space rocket, which takes him to a football crazy planet, which seems to be good but in fact is bad, because he's the ball!
Illustrated by Arthur Robins

All is quiet on the farm. The animals are fast asleep. Until Dog starts to snore! One by one, the other animals try to stop him: Sheep says Boo! the piglets giggle and Cat even tries to sing. But Dog snores on until morning, when, fresh as a daisy, he wakes up ready for a new day. By then, the other animals are so tired, all they can do is SNORE!
Illustrated by Jonathan Langley
Republished 2015 in a new edition

A new edition, with illustrations by Bob Graham.

A tale of children at play. When George excludes his friends from his new cardboard box house he learns about the consequences of prejudice and the virtues of sharing.
Illustrated by Bob Graham

Illustrated by John Rogan. Republished 2008 by Barn Owl Books

Retelling of a traditional Pueblo Indian story. Illustrated by John Clementson

A traditional tale retold by Michael Rosen. Illustrated by Bob Hewis

Illustrated by Reg Cartwright.

Illustrated by Tony Ross

Illustrated by Mik Brown

Illustrated by Chris Fisher

Illustrated by Tony Ross

Illustrated by Tony Ross

Illustrated by Mik Brown

Illustrated by Tony Ross

Illustrated by John Clementson

Fip and Feppa are songbirds who live in two different woods, on either side of a wide river. They are happy visiting each other until first Fip and then Feppa is trapped by a bird-catcher.
Illustrated by Jill Dow.

Illustrated by Sami Sweeten

Furniture is removed from the house, boxes are filled, people are too busy for the cat. But the cat, too, is eventually picked up and taken to the new house.
Illustrated by Sophy Williams

When Bertha finds that her accidental burps can knock things over, she asks a boy at school to teach her how to burp to order. Impressed by her success, the press and television take up her story and record and film offers flood in - but burping can be a dangerous skill.
Illustrated by Tony Ross

Introduction by Whoopi Goldberg

Contributor; book reprinted in 2007; Collection of stories and poems by popular children's authors

Illustrated by John Clementson. Re-telling of traditional animal tales from around the world.

39 rib-tickling stories and folktales from some of the world's funniest and finest writers including Isaac Bashevis Singer, Margaret Mahy, and Hans Christian Andersen.
Compiled by Michael Rosen

A collection of stories about clever children. Illustrated by Caroline Holden

Part of the Flippers series designed to both entertain and develop reading and visual skills. The old King has died and the courtiers are trying to determine who should be the the next king or queen. One heir is found but there is a slight problem - she is a frog.
Illustrated by Colin West

Illustrated by Val Biro

Retelling of the classic tale

Retelling of the classic tale

Illustrated by Mark Vyvyan-Jones

Retelling of the classic tale

Naughty Rabbit Foo Foo, who mistreats the other forest inhabitants, receives his just desserts from the Good Fairy

Retelling of the classic tale

For brave hunters and bear-lovers, the classic chant-aloud by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury.

Follow and join in the family's excitement as they wade through the grass, splash through the river and squelch through the mud in search of a bear. What a surprise awaits them in the cave on the other side of the dark forest!

Till Owlyglass (Till Eulenspiegel) is a boy who was special from the day he was baptised three times. But not in a good way. Not in a way his parents liked. He was always in trouble for his rudeness and practical jokes, and grew up to be the most outrageous trickster in Germany. Everyone told stories about him … and they still do five centuries later. In this wickedly funny book, Michael Rosen retells the best of these traditional German tales, with pictures by Fritz Wegner which are perfectly in the spirit of the prankster’s wild tricks.
Illustrated by Fritz Wegner

Retelling of the classic tale

Paul Deadman comes across a collection of tapes in the attic of his new house. On listening to them, he finds they are recordings of children and teenagers in various difficult situations. Paul determines to discover the truth behind them.

Illustrated by Maggie Ling

Retelling of the classic tale

Retelling of the classic tale

Retelling of the classic tale.

Retelling of the classic tale by Lewis Carroll

Retelling of the classic tale

An anthology of funny stories edited by Michael Rosen. Illustrated by Tony Blundell.

Illustrated by Andrew Tiffen

Illustrated by Mik Brown

Illustrated by David Higham

Short Stories. Illustrated by John Watson.

Illustrated by Tony Pinchuck

Brief poems, stories, sayings, and illustrations describe a variety of humorous experiences at the doctor's office.
Illustrated by Quentin Blake

Poetry and prose about the hazards of breakfast time, from spilled cornflakes to the danger of hard-boiled eggs turning into hard-boiled legs.
Illustrated by Quentin Blake

Illustrated by Tony Pinchuck

Poetry and prose about bedtime and sleep, from both children's and parents' viewpoints.
Illustrated by Quentin Blake

Brief poems, stories, sayings, and illustrations describe a variety of humorous beach experiences.
Illustrated by Quentin Blake

Compiler with Joan Griffiths

Illustrated by Alan Baker

Revised and extended edition of Nasty! (1982)

Shreddies in my hair. I looked at Eddie. Eddie's looking at me. Big grin on his face. I knew he had done it. Last week he put pepper in the raisins. The yucky things your borther does, the annoying things your parents say, the funny things you feel. Michael Rosen knows all about YOU! Look inside and see if he's spotted your deepest, darkest secrets. A much-loved classic of family life from the brilliant Michael Rosen

Illustrated by Amanda Macphail

Compiler

Illustrated by William Rushton

Rhymes, Jingles, Poems and a story about a surprising insect on the London Underground. Illustrated by Quentin Blake.

Illustrated by Kathy Henderson

Former Children's Laureates Michael Rosen and Sir Quentin Blake join forces for a personal and uniquely affecting collection of poems about migration.
"What you leave behind
Won't leave your mind.
But home is where you find it.
Home is where you find it."
Michael Rosen and Sir Quentin Blake join forces for a landmark new collection, focusing on migration and displacement. Michael's poems are divided into four: in the first series, he draws on his childhood as part of a first-generation Polish family living in London; in the second, on his perception of the War as a young boy; in the third, on his "missing" relatives and the Holocaust; and in the fourth, and final, on global experiences of migration. By turns charming, shocking and heart-breaking, this is an anthology with a story to tell and a powerful point to make: "You can only do something now."

Featured in The Bookseller's October Previews. -- Fiona Noble ― The Bookseller

'Many of the poems in this collection are about Rosen’s family, including those killed in the Holocaust, which he then connects with the plight of others who flee danger. Succinct and direct, both the poems and Blake’s drawings are charged with feeling.' ― The Sunday Times

'Moving and evocative, this is a collection not to be missed.' ― WRD

'Enhanced by timeless pen and ink drawings from fellow former Children’s Laureate, Quentin Blake, this is a deeply moving, enduring poetry collection. In an insightful introduction, Rosen describes migration as an intrinsic part of human history, which has led to the development of richly diverse societies around the world.' ― BookTrust

'It's powerful and moving, playful and heartbreaking, and a brilliant way to get children thinking about the migrant in all of us.' ― Teach Primary

Fantastically funny and full of silly noises, this is Michael Rosen's love letter to every child's favourite treat, chocolate cake. Brought to life as a picture book for the first time with brilliant and characterful illustrations by Kevin Waldron.

Wiggle, jiggle and giggle along with this board-book of playtime rhymes, collected from A Great Big Cuddle. Illustrated by Chris Riddell.

'Poetry can stick up for the weak' according to Michael Rosen, or it can 'mock the mighty'; it can 'glorify our rulers or it can dissect them. You choose.' In these powerful new poems Rosen is clear about his own choices. Listening to a Pogrom on the Radio is a book about anti-Semitism, racism, Fascism and war, Trump, le Pen, and the Tory assaults on the NHS and education - the stupid and the sinister, the ridiculous and the revolting.

A riotous celebration of words – silly words, funny words, words you only use in your own family, new words, old words, and the very best words in the right order. Packed with silly rhymes, witty wordplay and thought-provoking story poems, this new collection of poems will delight children of all ages.
Illustrated by David Tazzyman

A remarkable series of poems about anti-Semitism, Fascism and War, connecting the contemporary world – UKIP, Marine le Pen, Palestine (the title poem refers to the refusal of the Israeli broadcasting authorities to mention the names of children killed during the Israeli shelling of Gaza in 2014) – to the lives of Rosen’s parents and grandparents, the General Strike, the Battle of Cable Street, Vichy, Auschwitz.

Two of the biggest names in children’s publishing, Michael Rosen and Chris Riddell, come together in a new poetry collection. The poems in A Great Big Cuddle fizz off the page with sound and rhythm, energy and laughter, as Rosen captures in the most remarkable way what it means to be very, very young.

With Roger McGough, illustrated by Korky Paul

Football, first love, teachers and tongue-twisters. This is a fantastic poetry collection by two of the funniest, most famous poets writing today.

A range of beautifully illustrated Michael Rosen's poems, including many of his classic works such as 'Down behind the dustbin'. The poems resonate with children's lives as they refer to everyday family life issues such as boredom on long car journeys. Many are appropriate for performance and can provide a framework for children's own writing.
Illustrated by Tim Archbold

A collection of some of the best of Michael Rosen's political poems. Readers hear the polyglot sounds on the bus going through Rosen's native Hackney, the self-justification of the Marxist intellectual turned OFSTED inspector, the primary head teacher who thinks her pupils have """"no language"""", the voice of the policemen with the blood of Blair Peach on his clothes. Also included are three moving and angry pieces written in the immediate aftermath of the 7/7 bombings in London. Rosen's writing is witty, often poignant, sometimes barbed and always passionate.

Michael Rosen published his first book of poems for adults, `Carrying the Elephant`, in 2002. Two further volumes have confirmed his position as the modern master of short, direct, naturalistic poems which carry an expected charge.

Subtitled "a memoir of separation and belonging", this is the author`s third volume of autobiographical verse.

An imaginative and hilarious partnership of poetry and pictures inspired by the letters of the alphabet.
With Herve Tullet

A collection of poems about school and friends - some familiar favourites and some brand new poems to excite young readers. Michael Rosen's humorous insights into children's lives make this a wonderfully accessible collection, with full colour illustrations by the irrepressible Korky Paul.

In 72 prose-poems Michael Rosen tells the story of a life: growing up with Jewish Communist parents in north London, strange trips to eastern Europe during the Cold War, trainee days at the BBC under the watchful eye of MI6, etc. But the core of the book is about the central calamity in Rosen's life: the totally unexpected death of his 18-year-old son from meningitis one night. Unflinching, totally lacking in mawkishness or self-pity, these are brilliant pieces that show the process of grieving and memory in wonderfully memorable ways.

A collection of poems about family and friends - some familiar favourites and ten brand new poems to excite young readers. Michael Rosen's insights into family life, and his humour, make this a very accessible collection
Illustrated by Korky Paul

Republished 2008 by Hodder Children's Books
A collection of rhymes, poems and wordplay from Michael Rosen, in collaboration once again with Clare Mackie and her wonderfully bizarre illustrations.

Illustrated by Harry Horse
Discover the wierd and wonderful world of martians, woolly saucepans and centrally heated knickers in 100 poems about science and technology from the delightfully irreverent Michael Rosen.
adapted into a theatre show - http://www.centrallyheatedknickers.co.uk/

As editor and compiler. Illustrated by Sue Heap.

Over eighty of the most memorable poems written in the English language, from William Blake's "The Tyger" to Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky". Selected by Children's Laureate Michael Rosen, accompanied by his lively biographical sketches and notes, with Paul Howard's astonishingly varied illustrations, this is indeed a classic collection.
Republished 2009

In the best tradition of nonsense verse, here are poems to make everyone smile and laugh out loud. Children will delight in unraveling the meanings of the words and in creating their own nonsense verse.
Illustrated by Clare Mackie

Shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award

Beginning with the chaos of breakfast and ending with the calm of bedtime, this is a collection of verse by Smarties Book Prize Winner, Michael Rosen. The poems are about everything from the pleasures of messing about to the pains of feeling ill and strange goings-on at the beach.
Illustrated by Quentin Blake

Illustrated by Shoo Rayner

These poems by the celebrated Micheal Rosen reveal what silly pranks and wild shenanigans the animals in the zoo get up to when the visitors and keepers have gone home for the night. Bee Willey’s remarkable and colourful illustrations make his poems sparkle.

The Skin of Your Back was Michael Rosen's second book of poetry for an adult audience. The collection draws on experiences as diverse as cremation, milk fever, anatomy lessons and the war in Bosnia. The poems are provocative, thoughtful and occassionally wistful as they whirl round some old haunts of left-wing politics and meet some bizarre individuals.

An exuberant anthology of wordplay -- poetry, rhymes, riddles, tongue twisters, limericks, and other verbal tomfoolery.
Illustrated by Chloe Cheese

A collection of alphabetical poems which feature rhyme, repetition and humour and which provide alphabetical objects for children to find in illustrations by Bee Willey.
Illustrated by Bee Willey

This collection of verses includes rhymes from readers of "Rude Rhymes", who submitted their own contributions. Compiled by Michael Rosen.

As Editor

You Are, Aren't You? brings together Michael Rosen's Jewish poetry and includes many new poems specially written for this collection. From family and school life through to international politics, Michael Rosen's wit and observation and his anger at injustice and hypocrisy shine through.

As Editor. Illustrated by Bob Graham

An anthology of anecdotal poems aimed at teenagers, collected by the poet Michael Rosen, with black and white illustrations by Andrzej Krauze.

Re-edited version of 'Rude Rhymes'; 'Dirty Ditties'; 'Vulgar Verses',

In this collection of poems, Michael Rosen is concerned with communication, or rather the lack of it, that seems to govern our lives.
Illustrated by Caroline Holden

An outrageous and funny follow-up to Rude Rhymes. Illustrated by Rina Duncan.

A book of picture poems for ages five plus. Illustrated by Rina Duncan

Illustrated by Riana Duncan

A witty anthology of poems from around the world about things that creep, crawl and fly.
Selected by Michael Rosen; illustrated by Alan Baker

A compilation of poems, ballads, limericks and nonsense verse which is a follow-up to "The Kingfisher Book of Children's Poetry."
Compiled by Michael Rosen

A collection of humorous poems about the parts of the body.
Illustrated by Sumi Sweeten

Illustrated by Andrzej Krauze

Illustrated by Riana Duncan

Illustrated by Inga Moore

Editor; illustrated by Alice Englander

Poems of the absurd accompanied by the illustrator Quentin Blake

A collection of speaking voice poems. Edited by Michael Rosen and David Jackson.

Illustrated by Alan Gilbey

A colourful illustrated collection of children's playground rhymes - skipping rhymes, jumping rhymes, football chants and lots of typically childish nonsense and fun.
Collected with Susanna Steele

A collection of poems about children, families, dogs, and life. Illustrated by Quentin Blake

With Roger McGough; illustrated by Sara Midda

Illustrated by Quentin Blake

Illustrated by Quentin Blake

How loud can you LOL? Louder than an elephant’s trump? Loud enough to shatter glass? Louder than fireworks? Grab your ear protectors and test it out with Michael Rosen’s book of funnies. Specially created to celebrate the Scholastic Lollies Awards, this is a bonkers feast of tummy-tickling delight from one of the world’s best writers. Like being bored? Find another book. Want funny? Extra funny? This is the place to come.

Seven raps collected by Michael Rosen

llustrated by Shoo Rayner. Michael Rosen's Book of Silly Songs, Daft Ditties, Crazy Croons, Loony Lyrics, Batty Ballads, and Nutty Numbers.

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