Here is the winning Under 12s story from our autumn 2011 writing competition. You were asked to write a story about something to do with cooking.
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: R Mukherjee (NSW)
JUST BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
“No, Amanda!” Kathleen groaned to her friend, “I am not entering!”
“Oh, Kath! Everyone is entering. It’s just for fun, after all!”
Kathleen watched her brown hair ripple out in the breeze. After a moment she replied quietly, “I’m hopeless at cooking.”
Amanda had piercing green eyes and she fixed them determinedly on Kathleen. “You are not! It’s just a Cupcake Competition, Kathy! C’mon, we are entering!”
She leapt out of the pool, grabbed her towel and strode away. Before she left she yelled over her shoulder, “Just believe in yourself!”
Two weeks later, Kathleen and Amanda were ascending the steps to Harrow Hall, where the Cupcake Competition was to be held. Kathleen was so reluctant Amanda practically had to drag her along. Amanda loved cooking and decorating, but Kathleen was different. She loved reading. Her favourite genre was crime fiction and she adored puzzling out mysteries! As a result, she’d become exceptional at finding lost things! But reading couldn’t help her now. This was a cooking competition. Kathleen knew she couldn’t do it. She was about to let her team down—and embarrass herself. Oh, what was she doing here?!
Jeanie and Maria, who went to school with Amanda and Kathleen, joined the girls at a bench. The workbench was full of icing, sprinkles and flour. It was a mess!
“Ladies and gentlemen!” the announcer cried, “Are you ready?!”
No, I’m not! Kathleen whined to herself. She spied Tom Wright at another bench. They were school enemies. Great! This really would give him something to snigger about! “You have fifteen minutes to make a batch of four cupcakes,” the announcer continued, “so manage time effectively! On your marks, get set … go!”
It was eight minutes into the competition. Everyone except Kathleen was enjoying themselves and working hard. Kathleen stood to one side, eyeing the mess of supplies. Suddenly someone cried, “The ladle!” It was Jeanie.
“What’s wrong?” asked Amanda, impatiently.
“The ladle’s gone! It’s not here!” At this, everyone made a frantic search for it—but it was truly gone. Kathleen snapped into action. A minute later she returned, smiling, with the large wooden spoon.
“Kath,” Amanda breathed, “you’re a life saver! But … where was it?”
Kathleen nodded towards Tom Wright’s group with a wry smile. “Kath, you didn’t want to come—and now you’ve saved the group!”
Kathleen shrugged, “You’re the one who told me to believe in myself!”
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Enter our winter writing competition. Entries close 29 July 2011.
alphabetsoup.net.au 