Sticky McStickstick by Michael Rosen – Book Review
Sticky McStickstick by Michael Rosen – Book Review
The Friend Who Helped Me Walk Again
- Author – Michael Rosen
- Illustrator – Tony Ross
- Publisher – Walker Books
- Release Date – 4th November 2021
- Pages – 40
- ISBN 13 – 978-1529502404
- Format – Hardcover
- Star Rating – 4
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Synopsis
A powerful and personal story from one of Britain’s best-loved authors about his recovery from coronavirus.
After being admitted to hospital in 2020 with coronavirus, Michael Rosen had to learn to walk again. With the support of doctors and nurses and a walking stick he names “Sticky McStickstick”, he manages to embark on the slow steps to recovery. This moving picture book from the former Children’s Laureate, with illustrations from Tony Ross, tells a story of perseverance and hope, and is a testament to the importance of overcoming fear and learning to accept help.
Review by Stacey
Sticky McStickstick: The Friend Who Helped Me Walk Again is a children’s book about the author, Michael Rosen’s slow recovery from having Covid-19 and how after months in a hospital bed he had to learn to walk again.
The book is an account of his attempts to learn to walk from needing the help of three nurses, a wheelchair, parallel bars, and then his walking stick (his Sticky McStickstick). His attempts and progress have been illustration by numerous pictures on each page.
Those that are looking for Michael’s usual humour and silliness won’t find it in this book. Yes, there some of the wording has been made to sound a little amusing but mostly it is quite a serious look at how his body was affected by the virus and the slow recovery he made to walk again – I follow the author on Twitter and know that he still has ongoing long Covid-19 issues too, which must be so hard for someone who was fit and able-bodied before catching the virus.
The book will be eye-opening for children and will help them to understand the process that some people have to go through to do one of the things most of them take for granted. It is a very brave book and was a lovely read.
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Michael Rosen
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.
