Written almost 100 years ago, The Magic Pudding remains one of the highest selling Australian children’s books. And yet its author Norman Lindsay described it as a ‘little bundle of piffle’.

Norman Lindsay allegedly wrote The Magic Pudding to settle an argument with a friend who thought that children only liked to read about fairies. Lindsay was convinced they preferred to read about food.

When released in 1918, a copy of The Magic Pudding cost one guinea (25 shillings or $2). With that same amount, you could buy one pair of ladies’ boots or 234 copies of the Sydney Morning Herald.

In 2008 the date of 12 October was named Pudding Day — a day to celebrate the publication of the Magic Pudding book.