Handy Biog For Anyone to Use

(As written several times over the last few weeks for various conference organisers!)

Michael Rosen was born in Harrow, Middlesex in 1946 and was brought up in north-west London in a family where both his parents were teachers and then went on to become academics. He was educated in state schools in Pinner, Harrow Weald and Watford, before starting on studying to be a doctor. That didn't work out and he studied English Literature and Language at Wadham College, Oxford. While at university he had a play, 'Backbone', performed at the Royal Court Theatre in London.

He then went to work at the BBC as a trainee director and producer, whilst writing poems and stories, some of which were broadcast on BBC Schools Radio. These appeared in his first book for children, 'Mind Your Own Business', which was published in 1974.

Since this time, Michael's life has been taken up with a mixture of broadcasting, TV work, writing, lecturing, teaching, running workshops and performing his one-man show (a hilarious mix of stand-up comedy, story-telling and poetry) in schools, libraries and theatres all over the country.  Some of his best known books are 'We're Going On A Bear Hunt' with Helen Oxenbury (an adaptation of an American Summer Camp song); 'Don't Put Mustard in the Custard' with Quentin Blake (poetry); 'Quick Let's Get Out of Here' with Quentin Blake (poetry); 'Sad Book' with Quentin Blake (a picture book); 'Carrying the Elephant' (prose poems). He is the regular presenter of BBC Radio 4's 'Word of Mouth' and appears regularly on arts programmes on television including presenting 'Michael Rosen's Treasury of Children's Literature' for Channel Five. He has been awarded the Eleanor Farjeon Award for outstanding contribution to children's literature and he won a Sony Gold Award for his series 'On Saying Goodbye' for BBC Radio 4.  In August 2006 he was the guest on BBC Radio 4's  'Desert Island Discs' and he is a Fellow of the English Association, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and has a M.A. and a Ph.D. in children's literature.

He lives with his family in Dalston in London.