Michael started writing poetry when he was 12 years old, creating satirical poems about people he knew, and by the time he was 16 he was an avid poetry reader. Most of Michael’s books are considered to be for children but he started his career as a playwright before moving into writing for educational TV shows and radio dramas. It wasn’t until 1974 that he published poems based on his childhood.
Michael has written over 200 books for children and adults, alongside curating many anthologies. His genre-spanning work appeals to readers of all ages. His classic picture book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, won the Nestlé Smarties Grand Prize in 1989 and has been adapted into a stage play and a TV animation for Channel 4.
Alongside his writing, Michael previously taught in universities, focusing on children’s literature, reading and writing. He is the presenter for Radio 4’s Word of Mouth, the magazine programme that looks at the English language and the way we use it.
Michael has received the J.M. Barrie Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021 and has been awarded the PEN Pinter Prize for outstanding literary merit, for his “unflinching” look at the world.
Goals as Waterstones Children’s Laureate
When Michael became the Children’s Laureate in 2007 he primarily focused on celebrating poetry and funny books to instil a love of reading for children. His projects included the establishment of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize (which is now the Scholastic Lollies Award), a plethora of resources to help schools create a poetry-friendly classroom, and a national tour showcasing Britain’s best poets for children, which was published into the anthology Michael Rosen’s A‑Z of Poetry.
