The Perfect Princess & the Bog Monster

This book is a worthy demonstration of the importance for children to learn how to read and write. These children are the real ‘ambassadors’ for the fight against illiteracy. They show us all what literacy can bring to life–stories full of joy, wit and love.

When the world celebrated the two hundredth birthday of storyteller Hans Christian Andersen, Australia’s ABC television decided to hold a competition for young writers. Over 4000 children from around Australia submitted their stories. The Perfect Princess & the Bog Monster is a collection of the twenty short listed entries, including the winning tale, The Perfect Princess.

This is an excellent collection, with entries from children aged as young as seven showing the depth of writing talent among Australian children. A great read for children, to show them what other kids are achieving and to inspire them to write their own stories, this is also a humbling read for an adult storyteller.

Mitch Vane’s comic illustrations are a perfect complement and do not overshadow the wonderful work of the talented contributors.

The Perfect Princess & the Bog Monster, edited by Jody Lee
ABC Books, 2005