Author hide-outs

Michael Rosen

A steep bank drops down towards you, covered in scrubby tufts of grass and dead leaves. On top of the bank, on a fallen tree looking down at you, sits Michael Rosen. The tree is broken off leaving a stump and lies away from you across the top of the bank. The tree looks a bit wobbly but Michael seems quite happy. Behind him, a tangle of wispy trees and tall brambles all losing their leaves are silhouetted against a cold grey sky.

Michael's hair is grey and curly and starts quite a long way back on his forehead, and he has a feathery grey beard on his bony cheeks. He has surprised grey eyebrows and enormous round grey eyes that seem to tell stories on their own. His face is long and thin like his legs, and he has big teeth with a chip in one at the front. He sits on his tree, facing to the right. He hugs himself round the middle with one arm. The other points the way further on to the right. His legs are crossed at the ankles and he has a big silly grin on his face. He wears yellow oilskins. The bottoms of his jeans poke out from the legs of the trousers and the hood is down on the big zip up jacket.

There are two Hotspots close by. At the first Hotspot, Michael talks to you looking a bit puzzled. He is wearing a grey sweater with a round neck and a dark brown jacket with the collar turned up. He stands in front of the hedge of a garden in a road of semi-detached houses that leads away from you. A few cars and a bicycle are parked at the kerb.

Look for the second Hotspot. In this Hotspot, Michael is in a school classroom. His head and shoulders bob about and his eyes get wider and wider as he tells his story, pointing a long finger at the children who are sitting out of sight.

Move on along the bank as it begins to dip down towards the right and look for another Hotspot. There is a photograph of Michael's head and shoulders in this Hotspot. He is still in the classroom in front of two dark blue boards displaying the children's beautiful art work. He holds out his hands in front of him as purple cartoon notes of music dance past his smiling face.

Move on along the bank. It drops downwards suddenly to the glitter of grey water on the right. Bare trees are reflected here and there in the pond, and brittle brown reeds line the far end. On the bank quite close to you are more leafless trees and the dark spikes of a tall, spindly evergreen. Crouched at the edge of the pond, just about to poke a stick into the water, is Michael in his yellow oilskins. His shoulder leans against the trunk of a bigger tree that rises up out of the picture, spreading its bare black branches into the grey sky.

Search about here for a Hotspot. Michael pops out from behind a great big tree in this Hotspot. He looks right at you rather anxiously to make sure you are listening carefully to his complicated tale. When he has finished, he pops back and vanishes behind the tree.

Move a very little way further along and the pond widens out, the twigs of trees making a woven pattern in front of it.

Look around here for another Hotspot. In this Hotspot, Michael turns towards you crouching by the tree to tell you a story. He uses his hands to describe all the things he does in the tale and his big eyes are just right for pretending to be a fish.

Move on along the pond. It is right at your feet now. Thick patches of dried-up reeds rustle on the far bank with a few clumps of bushes behind them. In the distance is a narrow strip of grass rising up a little, and beyond it, tiny trees looking like cut outs against the pale sky. Look around here for another Hotspot, but be careful not to fall in the water.

In this Hotspot, Michael is bouncing a ball against a high brick wall, the back wall of the school gym perhaps. There is a glimpse of some of the girls playing hand games in the playground and Michael tries a few tricks with the ball with great enthusiasm - but he won't win any prizes!

Move along and you will arrive at the opposite bank of the pool. Here there is hardly any grass but bare earth, brown leaves and skeleton branches twined together overhead. A little way off, crouched under a tunnel of branches is Michael in his yellow oilskins, peering out straight at you.

Somewhere close to him is a Hotspot. Michael is back at the road of semi-detached houses in this Hotspot. Behind him, the road comes down a hill. He comes close to show you his broken front tooth. The road name, Moss Close, is on a street sign beside him and during the story, the picture turns over and over making the road spin round.

Move on up the bank. At the top there is grass and some trees silhouetted against the sky.

Look for the last Hotspot here. And here in this Hotspot is a photograph of Michael telling another story to the schoolchildren. Wearing his brown jacket, he holds up one hand like a cup and points down into with one finger. The purple notes of music bounce by as he looks down into the cup, his eyes wide, his mouth a big O as if it is a very tall story he is telling.

Move on just a little further and you will meet Michael sitting on the wobbly branch you found at the beginning, looking as if he would be very happy to start all over again.