The Missing

A personal, powerful and resonant account of the Holocaust by one of this country's best-loved children’s authors.

“Rosen shows children every shade of life – dark and gloomy or bright and dazzling.”

Guardian By turns charming, shocking and heart-breaking, this is the true story of Michael Rosen’s search for his relatives who “went missing” during the Second World War – told through prose and poetry. When Michael was growing up, stories often hung in the air about his great-uncles: one was a clock-mender and the other a dentist. They were there before the war, his dad would say, and weren’t after. Over many years, Michael tried to find out exactly what happened: he interviewed family members, scoured the internet, pored over books and travelled to America and France. The story he uncovered was one of terrible persecution – and it has inspired his poetry for years since. Here, poems old and new are balanced against an immensely readable narrative; both an extraordinary account and a powerful tool for talking to children about the Holocaust.

“One of our most popular children’s authors … Michael Rosen has a talent for saying much in the simplest way.”
The Times

About the Author

Children's Laureate Michael Rosen is one of the most popular authors for children. His bestselling titles published by Walker Books include We're Going on a Bear Hunt, A Great Big Cuddle, Little Rabbit Foo Foo, Michael Rosen’s Sad Book, Tiny Little Fly and What Is Poetry? He is a distinguished critic and academic, presents radio programmes for the BBC and is a political commentator. Michael lives in London.