Jeremy Rosen

Michael Rosen, born May 7, 1946, is a distinguished English children's author, poet, academic, and broadcaster with a career spanning over two hundred books. He holds a professorship in children's literature at Goldsmiths, University of London, and served as the Children's Laureate from 2007 to 2009. His literary contributions have been recognized with accolades such as the 2023 PEN Pinter Prize for his "fearless" body of work. Rosen's background includes a Jewish heritage with ancestral ties to Eastern Europe and politically active parents who were members of the Young Communist League before leaving the party. He pursued studies in English at Oxford University after an initial medical training, and began his professional life in broadcasting with the BBC before becoming a freelance writer in 1972.

His career has been marked by significant achievements in children's literature, particularly in poetry. Rosen is credited with making poetry more accessible to children, often drawing on personal experiences and using everyday language. His influential works include "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" and "Sad Book," the latter addressing themes of bereavement. He has also been a dedicated academic, teaching and developing children's literature programs at various universities. Rosen is also a vocal critic of standardized testing in education, advocating for a greater emphasis on reading and a less rigid approach to grammar instruction.

Michael Rosen has authored over 200 books, establishing himself as a major figure in children's literature. His work often features humorous verse and draws directly from childhood experiences, utilizing language familiar to young readers. He played a crucial role in making poetry more accessible through his own writings and influential anthologies, and his school visits across the UK and internationally have inspired countless children. "We're Going on a Bear Hunt," co-created with Helen Oxenbury, achieved significant success, including a Guinness World Record for a large-scale reading event. Rosen's academic pursuits led him to earn an MA and a PhD in Children's Literature. He has held academic positions at the University of North London, Birkbeck, University of London, and currently serves as a professor at Goldsmiths, University of London, where he teaches and guides postgraduate studies in children's literature. His broadcasting career includes presenting the BBC Radio 4 program "Word of Mouth," which explores the English language.

Born into a Jewish family on May 7, 1946, Rosen's ancestry traces back to the Pale of Settlement, with family connections to socialist organizations. His middle name honors literary critic Wayne C. Booth. His parents, Harold and Connie Rosen, were both involved in education and politically active, with his mother having worked at the Daily Worker and his father being a professor of English. They were members of the Young Communist League and participated in the Battle of Cable Street before leaving the Communist Party. Although Rosen never joined the party himself, his parents' activism influenced his upbringing. He attended various state schools and briefly Winchester College as an exchange student. His early interest in writing was sparked by his mother's work at the BBC, leading him to pursue English at Oxford after an initial medical training. He worked for the BBC before becoming a freelance writer in 1972, a path influenced by his political views which led to his dismissal from the corporation.

Rosen is a prominent critic of current education policies, particularly standardized testing like SATs, which he argues negatively impact the teaching and appreciation of poetry and impose outdated grammatical concepts. He has been an outspoken supporter of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership campaigns within the Labour Party, contributing to political anthologies and signing open letters. His personal experiences, including the death of his son Eddie and his own hospitalization with COVID-19, have also informed his writing, leading to memoirs like "Carrying the Elephant" and "Many Different Kinds of Love." His work "Sad Book," illustrated by Quentin Blake, addresses themes of grief and bereavement. Rosen's dedication to children's literature extends to his patronage of the Shakespeare Schools Festival, an organization that facilitates school performances in professional theaters.

“fearless”

“Wouldn't it be wonderful to know all about science, and know all about art, and be funny and urbane and all that?”

“I went to Middlesex Hospital Medical School, started on the first part of a medical training, jacked it in and went on to do a degree in English at Oxford University. I then worked for the BBC until they chucked me out and I have been a freelance writer, broadcaster, lecturer, performer ever since—that's to say since 1972. Most of my books have been for children, but that's not how I started out. Sometime around the age of twelve and thirteen I began to get a sense that I liked writing, liked trying out different kinds of writing, I tried writing satirical poems about people I knew.”

“Their view of 'educational' was narrow. The machine had decided this was the direction to take. Your own creativity was down the spout.”

“one of the most significant figures in contemporary children's poetry”