Wouldn't You Like to Know

by Michael Rosen, Quentin Blake (Illustrator)

Genres: Poetry, Childrens

Hardcover

First published October 29, 1981

About the author

Michael Rosen, a recent British Children’s Laureate, has written many acclaimed books for children, including WE'RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, and I’M NUMBER ONE and THIS IS OUR HOUSE, both illustrated by Bob Graham. Michael Rosen lives in London.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

My children and I loved listening to "cassette tapes" of Michael Rosen's work in the 1980s and 1990s. I work in Early Childhood Centres and "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" is a huge favourite. I couldn't resist this book when I saw it in an Op Shop and I loved reading it. After searching Michael's name and reading about his awful encounter with Covid-19 I will follow his blogs and keep this book for me and my grandchildren. I will also seek out his other works, those known and unknown to me. What a National Treasure he is.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure Michael Rosen.... Thank you.

[Daniel Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Rosen is a very popular and well-known children's author and this collection of poems reaffirms that fact.

From poems about competitions to others about receiving the most post, and even one about cleaning your bedroom, this is a fun and easily readable selection of tales. When reading this book I instantly found examples that I could relate to my own life experiences.

One of my favourite stories is of a conversation between a small boy and his mother. She tells him that she is going out for a moment and he asks ‘Why?’. Then with every answer she gives he always replies with the same ‘Why?’. This carries on until she gives a long rhyming explanation to which he replies ‘What?’. I enjoyed this poem because it really reminds me of my 4-year old nephew: inquisitive and funny, but sometimes difficult to get a simple idea across to.

All of these poems are paired with wonderful illustrations by Quentin Blake, and these make Rosen's collection of poems even more enjoyable for the reader.

This book would be good to use with higher KS2 children as examples of poems that don’t follow the usual patterns of rhyme and time. These are poems that don’t seem to be about anything extraordinary, but focus on the everyday, a concept which the students can relate to, encouraging their own experiences to be shared.
I think this book would be great to use in assemblies by choosing one or two of the poems, that you could read, discuss and ask questions about.

[Primadonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wicked! This book is SO hilarious. Well-written, too. The poems are cute and funny. I used to have a copy but now it's gone. I really have to get one for my collection! Fun to be read for the whole family!