Kids

First Place

A Fish’s Day
Blub blub. Nervous glances all around. A bug! Jump, splash! Got it! That’s the 22nd today. I’m going for 23. Huh! What’s that? Oooh! Shiny! Must have shiny! Oh it’s so far away! Hey! That other guy is trying to get it! Aw man! He got it. Hey, where did he go? Oh well maybe—oooh! So mesmerizingly shiny!

By Carter Twist, age 11, Chico

Carter Twist attends Montessori Elementary School. His language arts teacher, Danielle Mennucci, had his fifth-grade class write short stories to enter into the contest, and although it was a lot of fun, this was his second year entering and he didn’t expect to win.

Second Place

A Mess in Summer
I sit in the hot car, stuck. I think about the Cheese Whiz melting in the back seat. I roll down the window, but it is no cooler. My legs stick to the seat, too. The sun blazes on the dead dandelions on the side of the freeway. Get me out. OUT! Only my dreams can cool me down.

By Simone Hammett-Lynch, age 8, Chico

Not only is Simone Hammett-Lynch a prize-winning fiction writer, she’s also an accomplished fiddler.

Third Place

The Mere Mosquito
Strolling home one night, I fell down a rather well-concealed pit, a mere mosquito of my former troubles. I had just saved the world from completely unavoidable destruction. A mad doctor attempted to obliterate the planet. Luckily, I foiled his scheme before the deed was done. Now, if only I could escape this prison of a deep abyss.

By Nicholas Hoover, age 10, Chico

Nicholas Hoover is another multitalented kid—he’s an actor who will appear in the upcoming production of Suessical Jr. at Laxson Auditorium. Like Carter Twist, Nicholas is a fifth-grader at Montessori.

Honorable Mention

Abby
The silver exam table was empty. They brought her in wrapped in a warm towel. Drained of life. The girl quietly sobbed as she held her cat. “Tell me when you’re ready,” said the veterinarian. After an hour with Abby, the girl said, “I’m ready to do it. I love you Abby.” She hugged her tightly and said, “Goodbye.”

By Khylie Egger, age 10, Chico

Skateboarding in the Moonlight
Someone is skateboarding in the moonlight. What could it be? A goblin? A monster? What are those other shapes in the trees? Could there be a bird-like animal with only three toes? Look, look, the moon is disappearing and all we see are the misty clouds. And suddenly, all has vanished! All we hear is the silent city.

By Django Clarke, age 7, Chico

White Rose Right Rose
I am a butterfly gracefully fluttering in the wind. I live in a garden called Lacoaso. We are going to rest on roses. Mother got a pink rose. Father had a yellow one. Which rose is mine? Through the garden I flew. A white rose weeped, “Nobody likes me because I am small.” “I like you!” She was happy.

By Kassidy-Kate Roe, age 10, Chico

Lulu and Gnome
Once there was a little girl named Lulu. One day her parents were gone. The house was silent. Suddenly, she heard a little voice. It said, “Down here!”

She looked down. It was a gnome. The gnome said, “My name is Bobby.”

“My name is Lulu.”

The gnome waved his wand, and Lulu became as small as a gnome.

By Allison Clarke, age 7, Chico

The Vacuum
Vacuum was tired of being used so often. His owner used him every day and his bristles were getting all beat up. That night when his owner fell asleep, he rolled to the vacuum day spa called You Suck Better. He got home at noon. He felt so much better, but he was going to be in big trouble.

By Jenna Pickering, age 11, Chico

I Find Treasure
One day, I went flying in my spaceship. I discovered a sliver of paper in a golden bottle. I flew down and popped the cork. I noticed it was a treasure map. I was excited to look for the treasure. One whole day later, I found a metal box beside the ocean. In the box was a gold crown!

By Jackson Fraser, age 5, Chico

Finding Sarah
The Patterson family—Susan, Phil, and Alex—were looking for 4-year-old Sarah. They’d searched everywhere. “Let’s search her room again!” Alex shouted. They were tired, but they looked. Alex ran to the closet, tripping over the toy box, making a tremendous noise. A girl spilled out, sleepy-eyed. “Sarah!” her mom said, relieved. “In the toy box!”

By Savannah Conlon, age 12, Penn Valley

The Secret Door
I was in my room and I heard something creaking. It was a door, a secret door. I had never seen it before in my life. My blood was pumping as I timidly crept up to it. It kept shutting and opening. As I walked in, no one was there. It was just the fan blowing way too hard.

By Sam Archer, age 11, Chico

Not Fair
“Two tickets please,” the black man said. “We can’t accept you,” said the ticket taker. Suddenly two police officers walked up, night sticks in hand and guns on their belt. The black man felt a continuous slam on his back. He opened his eyes. He was bruised inside and out. I watched a tear roll down his cheek.

By Malori S. Wagner, age 11, Chico