Once Upon a Slime: 45 Fun Ways to Get Writing … Fast! (Andy Griffiths, illus by Terry Denton, Pan Macmillan)

It’s not surprising to learn that a young Andy Griffiths was inspired by Der Struwwelpeter, discovering in those comically horrific German cautionary tales that reading can be exciting, surprising—and fun. With Once Upon a Slime, Griffiths passes the spark of inspiration and creativity to his own readers. This how-to writing book takes the mystery out of storytelling with 45 practical lessons on where ideas come from and how to put them on paper, while introducing a range of narrative techniques. Though aimed at junior readers, aspiring writers of all ages take note—this is one of the most useful books on the market. One of its biggest strengths is that it adopts a broad definition of storytelling—words and pictures being crucial to Griffiths’ own work—covering the basics of joke-telling, cartooning, poetry, parody and more traditional narrative forms, and appealing to readers of varying skill levels and interests. Filled with Griffiths’ and illustrator Terry Denton’s trademark energetic humour, it’s wildly entertaining in its own right and an obvious choice for budding authors. But it’s also a brilliant resource for teaching creative writing and textual analysis, giving readers the tools and confidence to transform storytelling from a passive into an active art.

Meredith Lewin is a Sydney-based freelance proofreader and reviewer who has worked for a children’s publisher  

Category: Reviews