Joy Cowley: The Wishing of Biddy Malone

Biddy Malone has music in her heart and dancing in her feet, so it is a great shame she is so bad at it.

One day she meets the faerie folk, including a boy who captures her heart. He asks Biddy to name her three wishes, and she tells him of her longing to dance and sing. Her third wish is to have a loving heart to control her temper.

When Biddy gets home it seems that the wishes haven't worked, for her singing and dancing are as bad as ever. But she does have a loving heart, and she keeps practising until she is the best singer and dancer in the country.

This delightful story is told in the lilting language of a traditional Irish folk tale. The gentle moral points out that achieving goals through your own effort mean much more than being given something for nothing.

Illustrated by: Christopher Denise

Publisher: Penguin

Price: $18.99

Age: 5-10 years

Recommended by: Jenni Keestra