Young writers and readers

Young writers asked to make their great escape

Booktrust is inviting young writers to enter a short story competition to give themselves a chance to join the judging panel for their internationally acclaimed Booktrust Teenage Prize 2008. The charity that encourages people of all ages to enjoy reading has set the challenge for young writers aged 11-16 to write a 500- word short story with the title My Great Escape. The title ties in with the National Year of Reading’s theme for June which is Reading Escapes.

The 4 best short stories will win their authors a place on the judging panel for the Booktrust Teenage Prize 2008. They will join the journalist and novelist Amanda Craig, librarian Emma Sherriff, author Julia Bell, Children’s Books Specialist John McLay and Matthew Sawyer, a young judge whose short story won him a place on the judging panel last year. The four winners will also attend the award ceremony on Tuesday 18 November in London where they will get to meet the 2008 shortlisted authors. The four winners will be contacted in the second week of September when the shortlist will be announced. All winners will win a complete set of the books too.

Last year over 2,500 young people entered.
The entry form is available for download on the brand new Bookheads website You need to have a UK address.

Deadline: Monday 28 July 2008