Michael Rosen’s Sticky McStickstick: a book for children that adults should also read
I was in Muswell Hill the other day (flu jab) and took the chance to do some shopping (you know, Muswell cheese shop, M&S etc). I also stopped by the Muswell Hill Children’s Bookshop to get a copy of Michael Rosen latest book (with Tony Ross) Sticky McStickstick.
It’s a book designed for children to help what the left used to call ‘the youth’understand what impact serious illness can have and how you can recover. It’s a slim volume with drawings of Rosen as he recovered from COVID at the Whittington Hospital in North London.
It covers the steps Rosen had to go through to learn to walk again after being immobilised in bed for many weeks. It shows clearly the steps that needed to be taken, including walking unaided, going upstairs and eventually getting about with Sticky McStickstick. If I recall correctly the stick was an Arsenal fan but for some reason this is not mentioned.
It’s a tribute to the NHS and the rehabilitation from illness it, specialist NHS staff that is, can provide.
Its of course easy to read but if you want a guide on rehabilitation after illness I’d warrant it’s a lot clearer than a 50 slide power point presentation. So useful for children and adults.
Is there any way that much of a divide between good writing for children and adults, in the sense that clarity of expression and engagement is key?
I’m afraid that Michael Rosen, as drawn by Tony Ross, only has stubble in the book. The beard had to go for essential medical reasons. Follicles will grow back of course and they did, with Rosen going on to being named joint Beard of the Year 2020
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