Call to make Michael Rosen Day (12th November) an annual public holiday
12th November has been designated as Michael Rosen Day when a reading manifesto will be launched and all things to do with reading will be celebrated, shared and no doubt argued about on occasion.
Britain still has the fewest public holidays in Europe and there have long been calls for a further public holiday to bridge the long gap between the late August Bank Holiday and Christmas. 12th November is ideally situated between the two holidays in that respect.
Socialist historian Keith Flett noted that while public holidays are often associated with religious occasions such as Easter, Whitsun and Christmas they are also mark long surviving traditional activities.
As well as reading Michael Rosen Day Holiday will surely want to celebrate, beards- as Rosen is a former Beard of the Year- football (in Michael Rosen’s case Arsenal but other teams are available) and of course chocolate cake.
Its something that Lisa Nandy Minister for Culture, Media and Sport needs to put on the national agenda
Michael Rosen’s reading manifesto
1. Reading books helps children make the most of what school and the world offer them
2. Books give children language, thoughts, ideas and feeling
3. Books show them places and times and cultures very near and dear to them
4. Books show them places and times and cultures they may not have come across before
5. Books help children walk in other people’s shoes, seeing things from someone else’s point of view
6. Books help children see that they are not alone
7. We have to do what we can to put books into children’s hands
8. We have to do what we can to find space and time for children to talk about books
9. We have to celebrate children’s books
10. Children’s books are for everyone because we are all children at some time or another
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