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A Boy Called James single work   children's fiction   children's  
Issue Details: First known date: 1955... 1955 A Boy Called James
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

James is visited by two fairies in his dreams - good and bad. They tell him they have come to find out what type of person he is, and depending on how James behaves in future, one of the fairies will eventually win a prize. The bad fairy tries to coax him into being selfish and doing the wrong thing to score points while the good fairy talks about the importance of obeying laws and rules, being honest, and helping those in need, including the disabled, elderly, mothers, and non-English speaking migrants. The story ends with James deciding that he will be as good as possible to ensure the good fairy wins the contest.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon Animal Talk and Other Stories for Boys and Girls Neville Smith , Melbourne : Cheshire , 1955 Z1500460 1955 selected work children's fiction children's 'Here are twenty-five stories that have escaped from life - that is, the kind of life that most normal Australian boys and girls lead. In them, everyday life become involved with strange things and happenings. Magic comes creeping in when least expected; fairies and sprites appear; animals and objects indulge in conversations; dreams take the oddest turns. But, though there may be a friendly lion in a story, or a sea maid, or a flame fairy who can only speak in rhyme, in every case the central person is a normal Australian girl or boy.' (Inside dust jacket) Melbourne : Cheshire , 1955 pg. 23-26
Last amended 21 Aug 2008 12:39:21
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