RICHARD MICHELSON is a prize-winning author whose poetry has been praised by Nobel Laureate Elie Weisel as “deeply moving.” Battles & Lullabies was selected by ForeWord as one of the 12 best books of 2006. Michelson’s poems have appeared in many anthologies, including The Norton Introduction to Poetry. Clemson University named Michelson the R. J. Calhoun Distinguished Reader in American Literature for 2008, and he was the featured poet for the 20th Anniversary edition of Image Journal. New work recently appeared in The Harvard Review.

Michelson’s books for children have also received many honors.
A sampling is below. See a full list here.

2010–New York Times: 10 Best Illustrated Books
2010–Amazon.com – 12 Best Children’s Books of the Decade
2009–Sydney Taylor Award – Gold Medal – AJL
2009–Massachusetts Book Award Finalist
2009–National Jewish Book Award Finalist
2009–Museum of Tolerance Once Upon a World-Silver Medal
2009–Skipping Stones Multicultural Achievement Award
2008–Top Ten Biographies for Youth: American Library Association
2008–100 Best Books for Sharing and Reading –New York Public Library
2007–10 Best Children’s Books – Publishers Weekly
2007–Patterson Prize – Books for Young People-Finalist
2007–Teacher’s Choice award – International Reading Association

The Northampton Arts Council is proud to announce the selection of Richard Michelson, poet, children's book author, and art dealer as Poet Laureate of Northampton for 2012-2014. See video from the inauguration.

In addition to being an author, Mr. Michelson is a popular guest speaker. Within the past few years he has lectured, and read from his works in India, Russia and Eastern Europe. In 2005 he represented the United States at the Bratislava Biennial of Children’s Books in Slovakia. Michelson also regularly travels throughout the United States speaking to children and teachers about poetry, and issues of Social Justice. Michelson has written for the New York Times Book Review, Publishers Weekly, Nextbook and other publications. He is the Curator of Exhibitions at The National Yiddish Book Center and owns R. Michelson Galleries in Northampton, Massachusetts.