Michael Rosen's Sad Book | TheBookSeekers

Michael Rosen's Sad Book


School year: Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6

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No. of pages 40

Published: 2011

Great for age 3-12 years

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A heartbreakingly honest account of a fathers grief for his son from the illustrious pairing of two former Childrens Laureates.Very occasionally the term non-fiction has to stretch itself to accommodate a book that fits into no category at all. Michael Rosen's Sad Book is such a book. It chronicles Michael's grief at the death of his son Eddie from meningitis at the age of 19. A moving combination of sincerity and simplicity, it acknowledges that sadness is not always avoidable or reasonable and perfects the art of making complicated feelings plain. It wasn't made like any other book either; Michael Rosen said of the text, " I wrote it at a moment of extreme feeling and it went straight down onto the page ... Quentin didn't illustrate it, he 'realized' it. He turned the text into a book and as a result showed me back to myself. No writer could ask and get more than that." And Quentin Blake says that the picture of Michael "being sad but trying to look happy" is the most difficult drawing he's ever done... "a moving experience."

 

 

This book is the winner of numerous awards

This book has been graded for interest at 5-7 years.

There are 40 pages in this book. This book was published in 2011 by Walker Books Ltd .

QUENTIN BLAKE is Britain's leading illustrator, and was chosen as the first Children's Laureate. Michael Rosen is a poet, writer and broadcaster, and held the post of Children's laureate from 2007-2009.

 

This book has been nominated for the following awards:

Capitol Choices Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens - Ages 7-10 Years
This book was recognised in the Ages 7-10 Years category by the Capitol Choices Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens.

Capitol Choices Noteworthy Books - Children
This book was recognised in the Children category of the Capitol Choices Noteworthy Books.

Boston Globe-Horn Book Award - Best Picture Book
This book was recognised in the Best Picture Book category of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award.

Parents' Choice Award
This book was recognised by the Parents' Choice Award.

Horn Book Award - Nonfiction
This book was recognised in the Nonfiction category by the Horn Book Award. Presented annually since 1967 by the Boston Globe and Horn Book Magazine for excellence in childrens and young adult literature. This honour is granted in the three categories of Fiction and Poetry, Non-fiction, and Picture Book. Presented annually since 1967 by the Boston Globe and Horn Book Magazine for excellence in childrens and young adult literature. This honour is granted in the three categories of Fiction and Poetry, Non-fiction, and Picture Book.

Parents Choice Award
The Parents' Choice Book Award is a prestigious accolade that recognizes high-quality children's and young adult literature across a variety of genres. Established as part of the broader Parents' Choice Awards program, which evaluates children's media and products, this specific award focuses on books that are not only entertaining but also educational and enriching for young readers. The award covers multiple categories. A panel of judges, comprising educators, librarians, and child development experts, evaluates the submissions. The goal is to highlight books that foster a love of reading and contribute positively to children's development and understanding of the world.Top of Form

Kate Greenaway Award
The Kate Greenaway Medal is a prestigious annual award presented in the United Kingdom to honour outstanding illustration in children's literature. Established in 1955, the award is named after the famous Victorian illustrator and author Kate Greenaway, who is celebrated for her charming and distinctive illustrations in children's books. The Kate Greenaway Medal aims to recognize and celebrate exceptional illustrations in children's books, highlighting the critical role that visual storytelling plays in engaging young readers. The award is open to any book that is illustrated for children and published in the UK during the eligibility period. This includes various genres, such as picture books, graphic novels, and illustrated stories. A panel of judges reviews submissions to select the shortlist of nominated titles. The judging criteria focus on artistic merit, originality, and the ability to enhance the story being told. The shortlisted titles are announced each year, and the winner is selected from this list

This book features the following character:

Michael Rosen
This book features Michael Rosen.

A beautifully illustrated read for adults and children about love and loss which explains why it's ok to be sad sometimes * Psychologies Magazine *

 

If you read just one book to a child who has experienced the death of someone close to them it should be (this) * Daily Telegraph *

 

Explains sadness and grief in a manner that children can comprehend * Gobblefunked *

 

The beauty of this book is that the words and the pictures knit together so well. -- Tony Ross

 

Important and astonishing . . . Blake's pictures are a triumph. They combine perfectly recognisable portraits of Rosen with expressionism, proving that Blake's seemingly spontaneous style is born out of practice and precision. Both the words and the images articulate strong emotion with admirable economy and convey a sense of the preciousness of life without being sentimental, platitudinous or falsely hopeful. At moments, the story is even funny. This valuable book is painful, but its honesty is surprisingly uplifting. It is a huge achievement by both author and illustrator. -- Nicolette Jones * The Sunday Times *