Hello wonderful readers!! Happy March. It's time... the FINALISTS and HONORABLE MENTIONS for the 1st annual Kids' Choice KidLit Writing Contest are announced below.
This past month seemed to fly by. I've been fielding the votes from our amazing kid judges, prepping "Thank You" gifts for these amazing kiddos (THANK YOU to all who attended the fundraiser webinar), and generally being in awe of your writing and their judging.
This has been such a fun adventure and I am officially announcing that this will be a yearly event because I LOVED it so much!! So if you aren't subscribed, please make sure to do that at the bottom of this page so that you don't miss anything. And a reminder that this summer, I will be hosting the Kids Write KidLit Writing Contest for our young authors.
And now... the moment you are all waiting for...
Announcing the 1st Annual Kids' Choice KidLit Writing Contest FINALISTS!!
(For now, only Title and Author are listed below for the ease of reading this post... for the winner's post, I will include the excerpt/sample from each author. But you can also read their entries by searching the comments on the original submission post).
(And don't forget to read to the very end, because there are also HONORABLE MENTIONS included here!)
(In no particular order....)
YA Finalists
Year 2070
By: Kala Senthi
THE NOTE
By Sabrina Shah
1917
by: Raluca Sirbu
SCREAM QUEEN
By: Jessica Haster
FIRE GIRL
by Amy Reitz
I'M NOT THAT INNOCENT
By: Ashlee Hashman
The Witches of Wonderland
By: S.E. Reed
Full Moon
by Bethany Walker
***
MG Finalists
The Secret of Scaremere Forest
By: Gayle C. Krause
IT'S A DOG'S LIFE
BY: Colleen Fogarty
SCHOOL OF SECRETS
By: Penny Nolan
CANDYBOT
By Ellen Seal
EVA AND THE CROWS
By: Cheryl MacAller
PIRATE’S BOOTY
By: Mark Huffman
THE HOUSE THAT ATE A BOY
By: Sondra Eby Eisenstat
SUNSET SISTERS
By: Abbi Lee
FOUR HOURS TO GO
By: Jeannette Lee
IZZY HOFFMAN IS NOT A WITCH
By: Alyssa Alessi
***
PB Finalists
PORCUPINE PLOP
By: Katie Brandyberry
THE SECRET ROOM
By: Becky Walker
THE RUNAWAY UNDERWEAR
By: John P. Conery
UP YOUR NOSE
By: Tonnye Fletcher
THE OLD LADY WHO LIVED IN A…
By: Melanie Rowsell-Docherty
THE GIFT WRAP TRAP
By: Allison Strick
NEVER-EVER!
By Julie Fruitticher Schroeder
SIR TOOTS
By: Hollie Wolverton
The Sunshine Club
By: Kimberly Horch
Grown-ups Have it all Wrong!
By: Kimberly Bellanti-Bartho
Time To Go!
By Sasha Harris-Lovett
I WANT A MOOSE
By: CJ Penko
TURTLE LOVES WAFFLES
By: Michaela Almeida
HUGE CONGRATS to all of our finalists! And now for the list of honorable mentions based on the kids' votes and comments.
YA Honorable Mentions
Rise
By: Rebecca Laxton
A SWEET PROMPOSAL
By: Kari Ann Gonzalez
Premonition
By Owen Christie
Elenora Hastings was a Piece of Gum
By: W.O. Hemsath
ONE WAY TICKET
Lindsey Hobson
CONTAINED NO MORE
By: Brooke Thomas
***
MG Honorable Mentions
A Plague on all our Houses
By Melanie Adkins
Showdown at the Chicken Coop
By J.A. Tovmassian
SNUGGLE TIME
By: Rebecca DeRosa
VIDEO GAME GLITCHES
By: Valerie Jauregui
FRESH OUT OF WORMS
By: Adam Thomas
THE GALACTIC ICE CREAM STAND
By: Thekla Richter
DISAPPEARING ACT
By: Emily Durant
Field Day
By Stephanie Henson
One Good Friend
By: Lexi Donahue
HECATE'S CURSE
By: Marcia Berneger
PRINTLESS
By: Davina Bennett
THE HOLLOW SLEEPS
By: Faith Rivens
***
PB Honorable Mentions:
Cats do NOT belong in School
By: Andi Chitty
The Funniest book of all time
By: Sue Lancaster
GORDON AND HIS GLASSES
By: Tiffany Kirtley
Trixie Finds a Friend
By Linda Elliott Long
Achoo
By Erin Johnson
Whole Can of Worms
BY: Charlotte Dixon
Dumpster Dive Surprise
Ashley Sierra
Better in the Wild~Animals of India
By: Shuba Mohan
The Bottom Book
By: Jess Freeman
Curtis E. Flush
By: Jennie Heydt
There’s a Booger
By Beth Janes
No Bath for Me
By Shirley V. Ting
Bookworm and Robin
By: Suzy Leopold
The Biggest Baboon
By: Hazel Gardner
Steve, Tie Your Shoes!
By: Vanessa Ireson
COME OUT!
By: Kathleen Latlip
NEWMAN NOODLE
By: Abby Wooldridge
DO UNICORNS TAKE SHOWERS? And other unicorn questions answered
By: Gina Coffin Smith
CAUTION: THERE’S BOOGERS IN THIS BOOK! (NO THERE’S SNOT!)
By: Laura A. De La Cruz
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Toot
By: Alicia Meyers
The Loch Mess Monsters
By Elizabeth Muster
Noise Annoys
By Kell Andrews
MY DOG EATS POO
BY: Amy Hublou
THE TRUE STORY OF A STOWAWAY CAT
By: Ann Malaspina
Quiet as a Butterfly Fart
By Lauri C. Meyers
Babies Vs. Plants
By Daniele Arndt
Snacks Gone Wild
By Chris Garcia-Halenar
There’s a Seagull Living in my Garden
By Anjalee Burrows
Delicious Donut
By Laura Heath
The Dust Bunnies
By: Chayala Nachum
BANANAPANTS
By: Aimee Satterlee
Poke the Bear
By: Monica Freeman
Vultures Eat Everything
By Vashti Verbowski
Just for Tonight
By: Rachel Ralph
WHOOO!!! That was a list! But seriously SO amazing! I can't tell you how much fun I've had with this, and I am SO grateful to each and every one of you for entering. Please remember that your writing is worthy. It's AMAZING. I was truly blown away by your work. I can't wait to see these stories on my shelf.
I have badges available for Finalists, Honorable Mentions, and Participants! Click the corresponding button below to download!
Now... join me in the comments in congratulating the finalists and honorable mention entries. The WINNERS will be announced on (or close to depending on our judges) March 16th. And again, you are ALL amazing. Thank you so much for making our inaugural year a smashing success.
About Kailei Pew
Kailei Pew is a wife, mother, and children's book author represented by the amazing Emily Forney of Bookends Literary. She loves writing books that help kids see they can do anything they set their minds to. Kailei's debut middle grade book, KID MADE will be coming to you from Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan Summer 2023