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Announcing the 2024 Kids' Choice KidLit Writing Contest Honorable Mentions!




Hello, friends! Thank you so much for your patience waiting for the 2024 Kids' Choice Honorable Mentions. I know it has been a long wait. But I've had good reason! I just launched a brand new book into the world!



Kid-ventors tells the true stories of 35 kids and their amazing inventions! From 6-player chess to the windsurfer, the trampoline to a hollow flashlight, kids have made some incredible things.

 

And before we talk about the real reason you're here, I just want to take a moment to thank you all for the support you've given me. To be honest, I can only continue offering these extra competitions and community things if I can keep working on books too. So it would mean the world to me if you would please consider supporting in one of these ways:


 

Thank you so much for considering one of the above options! It really makes such a big difference for me.

 

And don't forget that you can log bonus entries in my massive giveaway for doing so, now through April 30th!




And finally, don't forget that I have one final virtual launch event! The first "Meet the Inventors" event was an absolute blast! It was so inspiring to hear from real inventors and see where they are now. I would love to get a large group gathered to celebrate these amazing inventors and thank them for their time! Register by clicking the image below!







Okay... that's enough self promotion!! Thank you for baring with me and supporting this journey so I can keep doing the fun things too!

 

So finally, for the reason you all opened this...

 

 

 

Announcing the 2024 Kids' Choice Kidlit Writing Challenge Honorable Mentions!



If you missed the winner's announcement, you can see that HERE.


Now, we will announce the honorable mentions! These are the entries who made it on to the middle round of judging. Please remember that if you don't see your name on this list, it does not mean that your story wasn't wonderful. To be honest, almost every story had at least one child choose it as their favorite! So remember that no matter what, your work is needed. Keep working and keep putting your words out there. Real kids read your stories and that is such a happy thing!


And now... take a moment to congratulate the following honorable mentions!

(These are in no particular order).



YA Honorable Mentions

 

COLD WATER by Jessie Raspbury

 

MY MOTHER’S GARDEN by Miral Azam Khalil

 

FROM ANTARCTICA, WITH LOVE by Christine Letizia

 

CRUSH(ED) by Brenna Jeanneret

 

THE PRINCE’S HEART by Ali Herbek

 

JUST A GIRL AND HER DOG by Kelly Kandra Hughes

 

THE BREAK UP by Lori Keating

 

DEAR CLAIRE by Sarah Meade

 

K ISLAND by Jess Freeman

 

TALISMANS AND TRAITORS by Michelle Kastanek




MG Honorable Mentions

 

THE COMPLETE CONFESSIONS OF THE EINSTEIN ACADEMY BOTANY CLUB  by Hannah Lorenzo

 

PICK YOUR BATTLES by PJ Lemer

 

HAUNTED POND by Suzanne Elson

 

WENDY & WAGS by Claudia Sloan           

 

A SLIME-Y SITUATION      by Ashley Sierra        

 

IS BAKING COOKIES USUALLY SO HARD? by Lilyana Page

 

GRUMPY CHAIRS by Zahra Raza

 

THE WITCH OF EYNHALLOW SOUND by Judy Broad

 

THE PURPLE BIRD by Stacey Bartlett

 

THE FORGOTTEN HORSE by Kelly Clasen

 

THE SNOLLYGOSTER CHRONICLES by Carrie Karnes-Fannin

 

THE DRAGON NEXT DOOR by Nicole Frees

 

DIMES FROM HEAVEN by Sharon McCarthy

 

THE WILDNESS IN MELLIE FEYE by Candice Conner

 

STU AND THE SKETCHY TIME STOPS by Rebecca Chaney

 

JAREN SILVERWING AND THE FORBIDDEN SPELL by Dor Atkinson




PB Honorable Mentions

 

MAIL ME TO THE MOON by Laura Smetana

 

RAYLEE’S KERFUFFLE by Mary Lou Mires.   

 

CARL LEE FLOWER by Delano Brown  

 

I DON’T LIKE THIS BOOK by Nikki Del Vecchio 

 

WEIRDOMETER by Chandra Mayer   

 

ROOTS, ROCKS, TRAILS, TREES by Laureanna Raymond-Duvernell   

 

KITTEN’S FIRST CHRISTMAS by Maura Lance

 

PERCY'S PERFECT PLANE by Jeanette Fazzari Jones

 

WHAT’S FOR DINNER? By Emily Dunckle 

 

SAIL THE SALTY SEAS WITH PIRATE PICKLE by Jess Burbank        

 

FIRE DANCE by Donna Rossman   

 

LATE BLOOMER by Erin Rew                   

 

MAPLE’S PERFECT PICKLE by Katie Lee Reinert          

 

THE HOME IMPROVEMENT STORE by Nichole Stratton                                  

 

FOR NO REASON by Ashley Laffin

 

WHEN A BEAGLE GETS A BOOK by Beth Janes

 

20 STEPS TO GET TO THE BEACH by Caitlin T.D. Robinson    

 

FIVE TWINKLING STARS DANCING ON A CLOUD by Susan Elizabeth Schipper     

 

BANANAS IN THE BATH by Andi Chitty           




Congratulations to all of these honorable mentions! You will receive an email from me on Monday with details on your prize!


Thank you again to everyone who entered and to all of our wonderful kid judges for making this possible! It was so fun to run this contest for the third year in a row. Remember, you got your words in front of kid readers and that alone is a prize!


  

5 comments

Kid-Ventors Launch Giveaway!

Hello, friends!


It's hard to believe that we are just 12 days away from the launch of my first middle grade book, KID-VENTORS! This book tells the true stories of 35 incredible kid inventors. From the popsicle to the trampolines, robots to crowd pleasing games, kids have invented some really amazing things!


My first copies of the book arrived yesterday and I am blown away by the gorgeous cover! Shannon Wright knocked it out of the park.


It was amazing to have the graphic, but to have the physical copy is next level! The spot gloss is soooo fun and it makes it look like a kid's notebook covered in stickers. (Shoutout to L. Whitt for the incredible design).


And now, to celebrate release, it's time to do a MASSIVE giveaway!


a picture of the book KID-VENTORS on a pink background with the text: KID-VENTORS launch giveaway. Winner's choice of: 3 rounds of critique plus 3 zoom calls to get submission read, 3 session classroom writing workshop, 20-book Classroom set of kid-ventors. Enter at kaileipewbooks.com/kid-ventors

Did you see that graphic?? Yes, you read it correctly! I am offering one lucky winner their choice of:


  • 3 rounds of critique plus 3 zoom calls to get a manuscript submission ready

  • 3-session classroom writing workshop (virtual or in person if Phoenix metro area)

  • 20-book Classroom Set of KID-VENTORS


And the ONLY thing you have to do to enter is fill out the Google Form linked below with your name and email address so that I know you are throwing your hat in the ring.


There are BONUS entries that you can log on the form, but none of them are required.

Pick and choose which ones (if any) work for you:


  • 5 bonus entries: Share about this contest on social media, in your personal newsletter, with your friends, literally anywhere!

  • 5 bonus entries: Follow me on Twitter/X



  • 5 bonus entires: Post on Social Media About KID-VENTORS, including a purchase link of your choice (Can be completed multiple times)



  • 10 bonus entries: (To be completed after 4/23) Leave an honest Goodreads review after reading the book (Note that you can commit to this at any time on the form and I will simply check when the contest closes. So if you fill out the form before on sale date, you can commit to it in advance...just leave the review before the contest closes.)


  • 10 bonus entries: (To be completed after 4/23) Leave an honest Amazon review after reading the book (Note that you can commit to this at any time on the form and I will simply check when the contest closes. So if you fill out the form before on sale date, you can commit to it in advance...just leave the review before the contest closes.)


  • 15 bonus entries: Ask your local bookstore to carry KID-VENTORS



  • 30 bonus entries: Request KID-VENTORS from your local library (ISBN: 9781250836021, Publisher: Feiwel and Friends, Author: Kailei Pew, On sale date: April 23, 2024)



That's a LOT of extra chances to win!! Thank you all for helping me spread the word about KID-VENTORS. I truly can't tell you how excited I am to get these stories out into the world. I hope that this giveaway gets you excited as well! Click the button below to go to the form and good luck to all entrants!


The giveaway runs now through April 30th and winner will be announced around May 15th (depending on how many entries I get to log!)








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Announcing the 2024 Kids' Choice KidLit Writing Contest WINNERS!

Hello, friends! Did you wonder if you would ever hear from me again?? Did you start to think that maybe I had taken all your entries and run away with them?? Did you question if there were actual kid judges really reading your work??





Well... I promise that I really HAVE been running this contest behind the scenes.


It's just that I've ALSO been co-running the PB Rising Stars Mentorship Program with the ever-patient, always wonderful, Ebony Lynn Mudd AND doing school visits for my debut PB, The Monster Above the Bed, AND prepping to launch two new books into the world within a month of each other, AND signing something exciting. All while trying to be as present as possible as a wife and momma. I've learned that I should not do all of these things at once. Thank you for your patience and understanding as I did not announce finalists this year and instead am going straight to the winners.


A future post will include all honorable mentions as well as information on which entries made it into round 2 of the judging. For now, I will only be announcing the winners. (Compiling the honorable mentions takes a little bit longer, so that will come later.)


But first, I want to take a moment to share something really exciting with you all! As I prepare to launch my debut Middle Grade NF book, KID-VENTORS: 35 REAL KIDS AND THEIR AMAZING INVENTIONS, I am extremely excited to announce that I will be hosting not one, but TWO "meet the inventors" webinars during launch week. This is seriously thrilling. Six of the inventors highlighted in my book will be joining me to talk to young budding inventors about what it takes to become a true inventor, how they got where they are today, and what kids can do to meet their own dreams. One of the events is during the school week to appeal to teachers and classrooms and the other is on a Saturday to snag individuals, friends, and families. BOTH events will be recorded and available to registrants after the event. Check out the details below and consider registering for one or both of these events:














I truly can't wait to introduce you all to these incredible kid inventors (some now grown up, some still very young). Space is limited, so don't delay! Register now through the links above to secure your spot!


These events are 100% FREE and do NOT require a preorder or any social media posts. Of course, it would mean the world to me if you preordered your own copy, requested the book from your local library, or helped spread the word on social media.


KID-VENTORS is available anywhere books are sold.


Alright... that is enough self promo for one day, don't we think?


And now... The real reason you are all here today.


Announcing the 2024 Kids' Choice KidLit Writing Contest WINNERS!


This year, I decided to have the number of winners in each category proportional to the number of applicants in each category. That means we have:


TEN Picture Book Winners

SIX Middle Grade Winners and

FOUR Young Adult Winners


If you are one of the winners listed below, HUGE congratulations! Real KID readers chose your work as some of their favorites. Please be patient as I finalize details of your prizes. You will each receive an email from me within the next 10 days with details on your prizes and how to claim.


If you are not one of the winners today, please know that this contest, like all others, is extremely subjective. In fact, for each kid who chose a favorite, there was another that said "I didn't love XXX." Taste is wide ranging, even in kid and teen readers! Just because your name isn't on this list doesn't mean your work is not valid and wonderful. And kids still need YOUR stories! So please don't give up and please keep working on your craft. If you're ready to invest in yourself and your art, consider applying to be a PB Rising Stars Mentee!


And now...


Drumroll please...

.

.

.

.


The YA Winners are:


4th Place: JADED SEAS by Brooke C Thomas


3rd Place: FAME MONSTER by Kaylen Stewart


2nd Place: ARRESTED DECAY by Ashlee MacCallum


1st Place: THE CHILDREN OF EARTH by Sabrina Jess




The MG Winners are:


6th Place: HOPE IS THE THING WITH WINGS by Ranjeeta


5th Place: GLOBETROTTERS by Trenise Ferreira


4th Place: THE GHOST OF WINDWOOD COUNTY FAIR by Hallie Christensen


3rd Place: CALLIOPE'S NOTEBOOK by Sayuri Stabrowski


2nd Place: JUST A WISH by Rowena Zahnrei


1st Place: THE SECRET OF STERLING VALLEY by Laura Polasek




The PB Winners are:


10th Place: SURE! by Sheri Bentley


9th Place: THE VERY SCARY BOOK by Jessica Russo


8th Place: CHEWY by Thelia Hutchinson


7th Place: THIS IS NOT A STORY by Julie Hauswirth


6th Place: PIGEON'S ART by Stephanie Maksymiw


5th Place: THE TOOTH GARYS by Amanda Shayne Aszman


4th Place: NORM'S LAST STRAW by Lynn Leitch


3rd Place: ONE I CALL "PAPA" by Todd Beeton


2nd Place: BLACK CAT by Lauryn R Hill


1st Place: HOW TO WALK A BANANA by Lauri Meyers



WAHOO! What a great list!!


Congratulations to all of our winners! I will be in touch ASAP about your prizes (query opportunities and agent AMAs) so keep an eye on your email! In the mean time, make sure to snag a "winner" graphic here to display proudly on social media!





Readers, I hope you will take a moment to comment below and congratulate our winners!


And to everyone who entered, definitely allow yourself to feel all your feels, but truly you should be SO proud of yourself. Real kids read your stories and there is a good chance that one of them chose your words as their favorites!


Make sure you are subscribed to my newsletter so that you don't miss the honorable mentions announcements either!


Wishing everyone a happy and healthy March!



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