The popular children's author, Michael Rosen, is to be awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Brighton.
Michael was Children's Laureate from 2007 to 2009. He will be awarded with a Doctor of Letters in recognition for his writing and broadcasting on children's literature, his lectures on the same subject at universities across the UK and his huge contribution to engaging children in reading.
Michael is author of the classic picture book “We're going on a bear hunt” which won the Nestlé Smarties Grand Prize in 1989. The English Association awarded “Michael Rosen’s Sad Book”, illustrated by Quentin Blake, an Exceptional Award for the Best Children’s Illustrated Book of 2004. He has received numerous other awards for his literature and has written for both adults and children. He is equally at home talking to children as presenting his BBC Radio 4’s magazine programme “Word of Mouth” which focuses on the English Language and its use.
He has a number of visiting professorships and has developed an MA in Children's Literature at Birkbeck College, London.
Lorraine Harrison, Head of the School of Education, said: “His skills and talents cover a wide audience. Michael is equally at home performing his own work to groups of primary school children, as well as discussing the complexities of English on Radio 4. Above all his passion for poetry and a fundamental interest in young people and their education make him a popular contributor to conferences, sixth form colleges, libraries, schools and universities.”
To mark the School of Education’s centenary in 2010, Michael launched a poetry book written by children from across the South East. “Me and the Teehee Monkey” was the result of a collaboration between the School of Education and the partnership schools with which they work. Michael agreed to support the publication from its initiation, contributing throughout the project, including involvement in the poetry selection, but also writing the foreword.
Michael Rosen will be presented with his honorary doctorate on Friday 10 February, during graduation ceremonies at the Dome, Brighton.
