"From Children to Children" is a collection of fairytales and in its pages one travels to the town of Primer, or rides a horse that dreams of being a zebra. One flies on the three-story shell of a turtle and goes shopping in a magic shop…

For a second consecutive year, “Dabovi Lista” Publishing House holds a competition for children's fairytales as the 25 best works will be published in a book. The competition, with a deadline of May 24, targets children and adolescents of up to 18 years of age. Just like in the past year, the idea caused great interest, but this time texts arrive by e-mail from all over the country. In the first edition over 400 children sent their own tales and the most interesting among them were included in the collection "From Children to Children".

There are many talented little writers whose fairy tales are written in rich and colorful language. This is what pleased publisher and artist Nousha Royanova at the end of the competition and she promises that by the end of the year another fabulous book gathering the imagination and beauty of children’s world will be published.

“It is a myth that children do not read or write. If they did not read, they could not write a poem, a fairy tale or a text. In relation to the competition, we came in contact with many parents and teachers of Bulgarian language and literature and they all say that children read and that it was not true that they were only interested in computers and phones. We simply have to give them an alternative and to invite them, to awaken them, to direct them in that direction, because when they are presented with a good book, children can truly appreciate it.”

In addition to encouraging children to write, organizers of the competition set one more goal - to encourage parents and teachers to do more for developing their literacy and imagination. This is especially important these days when information is much more accessible and it seems we do not need much imagination. Fortunately, children's imagination remains unlimited; children still dream and create, Nousha Royanova says.

What do we find in children’s tales? Stories and heroes borrowed from favorite contemporary books, cartoons, comics, computer games or magic like in classical tales? Do we find a fantasy world focusing on superheroes of the future or the well-known wizards and fairies, princes and princesses, mermaids and animals?

Illustrations to fairy tales will also be the work of children.

“Illustrators are 60 children with whom I have been working in my painting school in Varna. I read them the fairy tales and each child is inspired by some of them. I'm very keen on having this moment of inspiration, because that's how it works best. Then, with my help, we choose a technique and start painting. We use a variety of methods in order to have a high-quality and interesting book.”

And in order for the best fairy tales to become part of the book, the jury will adhere to three major requirements - author's storyline and characters, quality of information and a good message, as well as literacy. According to Nousha Royanova, however, ranking is not so important. Dear children, writing is an adventure, so take part in it, she tells the little authors.

Photos: private library