Posted in competitions

Summer 2011 writing comp winners – Under 9s

For our summer writing competition, we asked you to write a poem and include the word ‘dragon.’ Here is the winner in the Under 9s section.

A reminder: always check the rules of the competition. If you don’t stick to the rules, we have to disqualify your entry and that makes us sad!

Under 9s winner: L Massey (VIC)

DRAGON

My brother wants a dragon, a green one for he
Why do you want a green dragon?
To hide among the leaves

My friend wants an orange dragon, an orange one will do
Why do you want an orange dragon?
To see the fire it can spew

I want a rainbow dragon, a rainbow one for me
Why do I want a rainbow dragon?
Cos it’s the best you see!

 

Posted in competitions

Summer 2011 writing comp winners – under 7s

For our summer writing competition, we asked you to write a poem and include the word ‘dragon.’ Here is the winner in the Under 7s section.

A reminder: always check the rules of the competition. If you don’t stick to the rules, we have to disqualify your entry and that makes us sad!

Under 7s winner: D Morgan (WA)

I WISH I WERE A DRAGON

I wish I were a dragon who could fly high in the sky
I wish I were a dragon who could talk to a fly.
I wish I were a dragon who was very nice and kind,
And even help people who are completely blind.
I wish I were a dragon who would go to sleep,
And just have one more little peep.
And open my eyes to a brand new morn’
And breathe my fire into the dawn.

 

Posted in competitions, teachers' resources

Summer writing competition – win a $20 book voucher!

Entries close 21 JANUARY 2012

Write a poem no longer than 12 lines. Your poem should contain the word ‘dragon.’

Include a competition entry form. This may be printed from the website (see competition rules), photocopied, or contact us to have one emailed or posted to you.

Your entry can be handwritten or typed. Make a copy of your entry as we cannot return entries.

A $20 book voucher is awarded to the winner in three age categories: Under 7s, Under 9s, and Under 12s.

Happy writing!

Posted in competitions

Spring 2011 writing competition – winner under 12s

In our spring writing competition, we asked you to write a story with the title ‘The Three Little ____’ (characters of your choice). Here is the winner in the final category—Under 12s.

A reminder: always check the rules of the competition. If you don’t stick to the rules, we have to disqualify your entry and that makes us sad!

Under 12s winner: B Kempson (WA)

THE THREE LITTLE JELLYBEANS

Once upon a time, there were three jellybeans. Their names were Orange, Red and Green, although their colours were different. Orange was red, Red was green and Green was orange! Red was curious, which usually landed him in trouble, Orange was smart, always solving equations, and Green was brave. They were orphans, who lived in a packet in a cupboard with other jellybeans. One day, they were quietly playing with other jellybeans, when Red said something that shocked them all.

‘I wonder what it’s like outside this packet?’ All the other jellybeans gasped.

‘What, in the HUMAN world?’ said Green. The other jellybeans gasped again, as if Green had said a swear word.

‘To my calculations, surviving the outer world is one in one million of a chance,’ said Orange. ‘Still, it’s possible … ‘ Orange trailed off when he saw the look in Red’s eye.

‘Oh no you don’t, ‘ said Green, who had realised the look as well. ‘If i have to save you once more, I’ll have to get a personal doctor. Look what happened the last time you did something crazy!’ Green lifted his arm to show a nasty scar.

Even so, the next day, Red cut a hole in the packet, small enough for one jellybean to slip through, and leaped out onto the floor. He grinned to himself muttering, ‘Who’s a clever jellybean? Me!’ Suddenly, he felt a giant glob of slobber, as big as one dozen jellybeans, fell on his head.

He looked up to see where it came from, and saw an ugly brown and white beast with yellow teeth, beady eyes and a small black snout. He had heard legends of a creature like this, but the pictures he had pictured in his mind were nowhere near as terrifying as this.

It was a dog.

You could hear Red’s scream from miles away. Luckily, Green and Orange were lying in the sun near the place that Red escaped. Green’s head jerked up from its position, wondering what Red had done now. He looked around for Red, but stopped when he saw the hole in the packet.

‘Oh no,’ he said, running to the hole. Thinking of Red, he leapt throught he hole and onto the floor. He looked around, and saw Red and the dog. The dog had cornered Red by a table, and was about to eat him, when Green dived through the hole. Red sat down, dazed.

‘You know what? I’m never going to do anything dangerous again,’ he said.

‘Good,’ said Green and Orange.

‘Now let’s go cliff diving!’ said Red, walking off with his friends.

Posted in competitions

Spring 2011 writing competition – winner under 9s

Here is the winning Under 9s story from our spring 2011 writing competition.

A reminder: always check the rules of the competition. If you don’t stick to the rules, we have to disqualify your entry and that makes us sad!

Under 9s winner: C Ng (WA)

THE THREE LITTLE WISHES
So I was just messing around with my pencils and was just about to  pack them into boxes when my own pencil dropped to the floor. I had not realised and stepped on it. I heard a cracking sound. ‘NOOOOO!’

The van arrived to pick up the box to take to my customers. I quickly packed my pencils into the box and watched the van drive away.

I decided to go into the bush near my house to locate a piece of wood to make myself a new pencil. After making my pencil, I polished the wood and sharpened the pencil. The wood sparkled. My cupboard rattled. A piece of paper flew onto my desk. I couldn’t help but started drawing. I was ravenous and drew a sandwich. I looked at my drawing and my mouth started to water.

Suddenly, there was a sandwich made out of Turkish bread with cheese, avocado and turkey on the table! I couldn’t believe my eyes. It looked exactly like my drawing! I munched the sandwich. It tasted yumtious!

The drawing of the sandwich was no longer on the paper. Instead, there was a message, it said, ‘YOU HAVE 2 WISHES LEFT’

I stared in astonishment. I had made a wishing pencil! I rushed back to the bush. Where was that tree? I would be rich making all these pencils. But the tree had vanished. I better use my wishes carefully.

Money! I could draw a stack of money and I’ll be rich! I could buy a new house and car. I quickly went to my desk and used my magic pencil to draw a stack of money on the paper. I waited in anticipation. A stack of monopoly money appeared on the table. I can’t use this! I stamped my feet in anger.

I took a walk down the street trying to calm down. While I was strolling, I saw a child crying and asked her why she was crying.

‘My mother is terribly sick in hospital and may not come home!’ she cried.

I went home feeling empty. I had an awful time deciding what to do with my final wish. I had been selfish. A little girl is worried about a dying mother while I am thinking of a new car!

I realised what I should do. I went back to my desk and grabbed my magic pencil. I drew the little girl’s mother coming home healthy. I then went back down the street to see that little girl. A beautiful woman got out of her car and ran towards the girl.

I couldn’t believe the happiness I felt in my heart. It was the most satisfying feeling I ever felt.

Posted in competitions

Spring 2011 writing competition – under 7s winner

Here is the winning Under 7s story from our spring 2011 writing competition.

A reminder: always check the rules of the competition. If you don’t stick to the rules, we have to disqualify your entry and that makes us sad!

Under 7s winner: M Williams (VIC)

THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES

Once upon a time there were three little wolves. Hotdog, Sticks and Woof.

One day, the three wolves left their mother’s house and set off to find somewhere to live.

Hotdog said, ‘I’ll use bread buns to build my house,’

Sticks said, ‘I’ll use carrots to build my house.’

And Woof said, ‘I’ll use bricks to build my house.’

In the town there lived a big bad pig. He was big and greedy and really starving.

Big Bad Pig saw Hotdog’s house of bread buns.

He yelled, ‘Little wolf, little wolf, let me in. Or I’ll eat your house down.’

‘Go away,’ said Hotdog.

So Big Bad Pig opened his mouth really wide and ate the house down until all that was left was the wolf.

‘Great,’ said Hotdog. ‘Now I’ve got nowhere to live.’

 

Big Bad Pig just walked off and went to the second wolf’s house.

He yelled, ‘Little wolf, little wolf, let me in. Or I’ll eat your house down.’

‘Go away, Pig,’ said Sticks.

So Big Bad Pig opened his big mouth really wide and ate the house down until all the was left was the wolf.

‘Great,’ said Sticks. ‘Now I’ve got nowhere to live.’

 

Big Bad Pig just walked off and went to the third wolf’s house.

He said, ‘Little wolf, little wolf, let me in. Or I’ll eat your house down.’

‘Go away Pig, you can’t eat bricks!’ said Woof.

‘Make a bet!’ said Big Bad Pig.

‘Go on then, ‘ said Woof.

So Big Bad Pig opened his mouth really wide and bit the house. And broke his tooth.

‘Owch!’ squealed Big Bad Pig. Then he took another bite. And broke another tooth.

‘Owch!’ he squealed again.

‘Told ya!’ said Woof.

 

Big Bad Pig was really angry. And he thought of a plan. He climbed up the house, and onto the roof and down the chimney.

But Woof was ready for him and lit a fire and cooked the big bad pig.

 

Woof’s brothers came over to Woof’s house and said, ‘What’s for dinner?’

And Woof answered, ‘Pig stew.’

Posted in competitions

Writing Classes for Kids online

Australian author Dee White has started a new website called Writing Classes for Kids (& adults). You’ll find info about writing, writing tips, links to useful websites, writing competitions, and writing classes for kids and grownups (available as $5 downloads).

Check out the info about the first competition on the Writing Classes for Kids website. There’s a category for 8 to 12s and there are book prizes—the competition is free and entries close 30 November 2011. Good luck!

Posted in competitions

3rd Birthday Giveaway Day 1

It’s always fun to unwrap a few presents at a birthday party—and since we’re turning three we’ve decided to give away some notebooks and pens to celebrate. All writers need a notebook for jotting down interesting words, snippets of conversation or ideas for the next story or poem. We have one writer’s notebook and pen to giveaway each day for three days (starting today!).

Here’s today’s notebook and pen giveaway. One spiral-bound notebook and a blue pen.

Notebook giveaway Day 1
Win this notebook & pen and get writing!

If you’d like to enter today’s notebook-and-pen-giveaway, there are two steps.

1) Leave a comment on this post, saying how you first heard about Alphabet Soup magazine.

2) Send our editor an email quoting a favourite first sentence in a children’s book you have read, and the book it is from. (Children’s book must be suitable for readers under 12.)

Note: this is not a random draw, we will choose the entry with the first sentence that makes us want to read (or re-read) the book in question!

Some fine print:
We are only able to post the prize to Australian addresses. You are welcome to enter if you live overseas but you will need to nominate a lucky friend or relative in Australia to receive the prize.
Competition opens at 3am on Monday 17 October 2011 and ends on Friday 21 October at  11.59pm. (Times as per Perth, Western Australia)
We will email the winner asking for an address where we can post the prize. If we do not hear back from the winner by 28 October, we will award the notebook to the runner-up of the competition.
Notebooks and pens were purchased by Alphabet Soup’s editor. We have no affiliation with the brands or stockists and have received no incentives from these companies. (Our editor just went out and bought notebooks with inviting-looking covers.)
No correspondence will be entered into regarding the winner. Our decision is final.
Posted in competitions, info

Our spring 2011 writing comp

Alphabet Soup will be turning THREE in October. Hip hip hooray! So, we’ve decided to have a three-themed writing competition for our spring issue.

————

WIN A $20 BOOK VOUCHER (& see your story here on the blog) Boy writing. Artwork copyright Greg Mitchell

Entries close 21 October 2011

Write your own tale about The Three Little______ (choose your own characters). Your story should be no longer than 450 words and shorter is fine.

Include a competition entry form. This may be printed from the website (see competition rules), photocopied, or contact us to have one emailed or posted to you.

Your entry can be handwritten or typed.  Make sure you read the competition rules!

AND

Don’t forget our Design-a-cover competition closes on 16 September 2011. The winning entry will be used for the cover of our summer issue. Check out our designing tips here.