Hodder&Stoughton, London 2020

What a juwel! A fantastic layout and a fantastic fairy-tale with beautiful illustrations by children all over the world. The story was first a pro bono internet project, meant for children to better cope with the lockdown because of the Corona Virus. And children all over the world were invited to take part in an artwork competition, the result of which are the illustrations.

The story is a true Rowling: A vain king and his unscrupulous advisers invent a man-eating monster, the Ickabog, who lives in the marshes. The people have to be protected from this monster, so an army is formed, taxes are collected, a thought-police arrests and even kills everybody who does not believe in the monster,

In the end it is, big surprise, a young girl who saves the people and the bad guys get their just punishment. There is another twist to the story and many wonderful details, of course.

A wonderful Christmas read!