Rosen, Michael Wayne

(1946- )

   Born in Harrow, North London, of Jewish parents who were both teachers, he graduated in English from Wadham College, Oxford. In 1993, he gained an M.A. in children's literature from Reading University and a Ph.D. from University of London in 1997. He has worked for the BBC on Play School, schools TV and radio drama, and is now a freelance writer, broadcaster, lecturer and performer who has made a name for himself as a children's writer and as the presenter of BBC Radio 4's regular magazine program Word of Mouth. He was one of the first poets to visit schools throughout the U.K., as well as in Australia, Canada and Singapore, making poetry accessible to young people. He has won several children's poetry awards. Some of his publications: Mind Your Own Business, 1974. We're Going on a Bear-Hunt, 1989. Walking on the Bridge of Your Nose, 1997. Lunch Boxes Don't Fly, 1999. Centrally Heated Knickers, 2000. Some of his poems: "Chocolate Cake," "Down Behind the Dustbin," "Dear New Labour*," "From the Three Trains and the 30 Bus*," "Humpty Dumpty," "Three Songs of the Dead*." (*These three poems were written after the terrorist bombings in London on 7 July 2005.)

   Sources: Biography of Michael Rosen: Bloomsbury.com, Children's Authors (http://www.bloomsbury.com/childrens/microsite.asp?id=635§ion=3). Classic Poetry: An Illustrated Collection. Michael Rosen, ed. Paul Howard (Illustrator). Walker Books Ltd., 1998. Michael Rosen: Three Songs of the Dead, 16Jul05, Socialist Worker (http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/article.php4?article_id=6964). Michael Rosen's Book of Very Silly Poems. Puffin Books, 1996. Microsoft Encarta 2006 (DVD). Microsoft Corporation, 2006. Poemhunter (www.poemhunter.com). Splinters: A Book of Very Short Poems. Michael Harrison, ed. Oxford University Press, 1989. The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry. 11th ed. The Columbia Granger's World of Poetry, Columbia University Press, 2005 (http://www.columbiagrangers.org). The Kingfisher Book of Children's Poetry. Michael Rosen, ed. Kingfisher Books, 1985. The New Exeter Book of Riddles. Kevin Crossley-Holland and Lawrence Sail, eds. Enitharmon Press, 1999. Two poems by Michal Rosen (http://www.thediagram.com/4_5/rosen.html). Who's Who. London: A & C Black, 2005. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia).