THE 2009 LECTURE was given by Michael Rosen (Children’s Laureate 2007-2009). It was entitled What is children’s poetry for?: towards a new, but child-specific, ‘Apologie for Poetrie’ (Sir Philip Sidney, 1595).
Michael Rosen is a popular writer, broadcaster and scholar of children’s literature and the oral tradition. He is well known for poetry collections such as Mustard, Custard, Grumble Belly and Gravy, classic picturebooks like We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (with Helen Oxenbury) and amusing parodies of fairy tales – Hairy Tales and Nursery Crimes. He is also the author of the outstandingly moving Sad Book (with Quentin Blake). He has produced many anthologies of poetry, including The Walker Book of Classic Poetry and Poets (with Paul Howard).