Michael Rosen’s latest book has been a long time coming as it is a story he had told many years before, which led to a viral meme and due to popular demand it was finally printed in a book.
Illustrated by Neil Layton and published in 2025, Hot Food Nice! can be enjoyed by children and grown-ups of all ages, but in particular those aged 3 and up.
The premise of the story is very simple – Michael as a little boy tells us that he always thought his dad knows everything – and then one, day he realises that isn’t the case.
The best way to appreciate the book is to watch Michael performing it, as he emphasises the word “nice” with great flair. In fact, when Michael’s son posted a video of him reading the poem, the way he said “nice” became so popular it turned into a viral global meme. Michael has described being a meme in China, where he is known as “nice Grandpa” (or “nice yehye” in Mandarin).
Michael Rosen Day
Michael Rosen has published over 200 books for children, including the phenomenal We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. Published in 1989, it has won numerous awards and sold 9 million copies worldwide.
He has won a huge number of prizes and awards and was children’s laureate from 2007-2009. Both of Michael’s parents were school teachers who loved poetry, and he grew up with that literary influence. His mother was on BBC Schools Radio, hosting a programme called Living Language, where she read poetry to her audience. Michael ended up reading poetry on the show (he has joked in interviews that he took her job) and this is how his poetry career began.
Every year on November 13 Michael Rosen Day is elebrated in honour of his brilliance as an author and poet. This year’s theme was “funny food” and Incy wrote a poem in honour of Michael Rosen Day too. Read Incy’s poetry over at http://poetrypowerhouse.com
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