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.

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Autumn 2011 story comp: THE WINNERS (Part I)

"Boy writing © Greg Mitchell"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!”

Enter our winter writing competition. Entries close 29 July 2011.