Young Writers 'My Nursery Rhymes competition - genuine or a purse emptier?

[MrsArchchancellorRidcully]

My DD's (4) nursery asked all the children to complete a short poem, with some of the words already filled in. We did it together - I wrote the words but she told me what to put.
It was a bit of fun. They sent it off and we have received a bookmark and a certificate of merit, along with a personal letter from 'YoungWriters' saying that DD's poem will be published in an anthology, a copy will be sent to nursery and to the British library and I have to proof the poem and DD's name etc and return it.

Now, I'm as proud as punch but then there is the little matter of us buying a copy of the book for about £15.

It got me thinking - is this just a money making exercise? Will every parent get a similar letter and then they all buy one thinking their LO has been singled out? It is sponsored by www.need2knowbooks.co.uk.

Look, I'm not really bothered if DD's poem isn't unique - I'd be proud whatever she does but I just wondered if anyone had come across this before, perhaps stop me assuming DD's the next great creative genius!

Btw, nursery would have done this in good faith - they don't get anything from it.

I haven't heard of it. It sounds like it is a case of them wanting to produce a book of poems written by children so lots are submitted, amost all are used and then selling the book to families is what is funding it in the first place.

is it this one www.youngwriters.co.uk/my-first-rhyme-2013.php

ah here you are - this is their response to the 'is it a scam' quesiton
www.youngwriters.co.uk/scam.php

We had that too. Ignored it. The DD has not shown any other sign of precociousness since. What a surprise!

We had that, when I asked DS he said "the teacher wrote it"

We didn't buy it.

There are a few of these, and always have been - they are a form of vanity publishing. I'm surprised they are still going now it's so cheap and easy for any school to put together a book of the kids' poems for virtually nothing. If you just want to see your child's poem in print, you might want to pay. But - although I'm not familiar with this particular company - it's generally not a valid endorsement of the child's poetic skill, I'm afraid.

There are lots of threads about this all over the web- I've just read one on Moneysavingexpert, so you're definitely not the only person going at this. Here is a good Guardian article about them- I think it's certainly a cynical money-making exercise, even if its perfectly legal.

Now THIS is very interesting. Dreadful bunch.

Hi my little one who is 4 also won a certificate and a chance for his poem to be published and I paid the money for a copy of the book which I thought was a cheek as the nursery gets a complimentary copy but obviously I'm going to pay for my owns son work I too felt so proud and cried. My only worry is they send my copy to the nursery before the end of September and my little one has left now I just hope they call me or send it on to me. If not i shall be calling them. Xx

As far as I can tell (having seen it active a few times) the course of action with these books goes as follows:

1. School receives details of a competition (poetry/50 word short story etc) and enters children in good faith.
2. Children receive certificates and order forms in post.
3. Proud parents send them into school/post of fb/tell everyone thinking their dc have written a masterpiece.
4. Parents/children/school discover that every child (sometimes barring one or two, which is not done on merit, I think they randomly exclude a couple to give the illusion of a competition, which is very mean) has got one. (out of a school of 180, 175 received the certificate, and the 5 who didn't were definitely not weaker, in one case)
5. (hopefully) School issues an apologetic letter admitting they've been duped when it isn't really a competition.
6. Parents who paid out for the book (sometimes multiple copies) are put out to find that their dc's poem is remarkably similar to everyone elses poem, in younger children's case it isn't unusual for them to discover preschool wrote it for them...