“In most countries, property law means that people can take possession of manuscripts and, in some circumstances, a lone copy of a printed text. In these cases where only one copy of the work exists the owners of the manuscript also find themselves in possession of its literature. Yet the two things ought not to be conflated.”

English children's author, poet and academic

Michael Rosen is an English children's author, poet, presenter, political columnist, broadcaster, activist, and academic. He is professor of children's literature in the Department of Educational Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London. He has written more than 200 books for children and adults. Among his best-known titles are We're Going on a Bear Hunt and Sad Book. He served as Children's Laureate from 2007 to 2009 and won the 2023 PEN Pinter Prize from English PEN for a body of work praised as fearless.