Are you sitting comfortably? Time to name our best young writers

The time had come and there was no turning back. It was the morning of miserable Maggie’s birthday, she was about to turn 14. My devilish plan was about to come into action; the plan to spoil my horrible sister’s beautiful birthday celebrations!
10-year-old Rhys Gannon from Alwoodley, Leeds10-year-old Rhys Gannon from Alwoodley, Leeds
10-year-old Rhys Gannon from Alwoodley, Leeds

As part of our Turning the Page campaign to promote literacy we invited children and young people up to the age of 16 to send us their short stories.

We provided the opening line but left the rest up to them.

Each entry had to start with: “The time had come and there was no turning back.”

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Stories could be up to 1,000 words long and could be either a self-contained short story or the opening chapter to a longer piece. We were inundated with scores of superb entries and have had a difficult time selecting our winners.

With the help of best-selling author and education expert Gervase Phinn we have now chosen the best entries in each of the three age categories up to the age of 11, 14 and 16.

We have also selected three other outstanding entries to be highly commended.

Our winners will each receive £50 in book tokens and those highly commended will receive £25 worth of tokens.

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The Yorkshire Post is also planning to record some of the best stories we have received this summer which will then be featured on our website.

The winner in the up to the age of 11 category is 10-year-old Rhys Gannon from Alwoodley, Leeds, for his brilliant story about a mischievous boy getting ready to surprise his big sister at her birthday party.

In the up to the age of 14 the winner is Muskan Kabir from York for her beautiful piece of writing about a child coming to terms with their parents getting divorced and in the up to the age of 16 category Abbie Barraclough from Sheffield has been chosen as the winner for her beginning to a supernatural story.

Kizzy Walsh and Julia Coyle from Leeds and Bethanie Warboys from York have all been highly commended.

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The Yorkshire Post managing editor Nicola Furbisher said: “We have been touched by the effort so many children have put into our first Inspiring Young Writers Competition. We provided the opening line and it has been fascinating seeing the imagination children have shown in creating their stories and taking them in so many different directions.

“Judging has been very difficult indeed and there was lots of entries which would have made worthy winners.

“The competition is part of our ongoing campaign to highlight the importance of literacy and to promote a love of stories and the written word among young people growing up in Yorkshire.

“We are delighted with our first Inspiring Young Writers competition and look forward to it going from strength to strength in future.”

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The number of top entries in the up to 11 age category was particulary high and Gervase Phinn noted: “All these entries were of an exceptionally high standard. What does a reader look for in a story?

“Simply, the most important thing is that it makes the reader want to read on, it captures his or her interest, it makes the reader keen to know what is going to happen. All the entries fulfilled this criterion splendidly. Of course, as readers we all have preferences for the genre, the kind of story we particularly enjoy.

“Some readers like adventure stories, others science fiction, some romance, others historical.

“This preference for a certain kind of story does impact when judging any piece of writing.

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“All these stories were entertaining, well-written and original. In my book a good story has pace, suspense, believable characters and a rich use of language, Again all the entries achieved this.”

The Yorkshire Post launched its Turning the Page campaign earlier this year in response to a call from an education summit in Yorkshire appealing for everyone in the county to help raise standards.

League tables show that a child growing up in the region is less likely to master the basics of literacy than those growing up anywhere else in England.

The Turning the Page campaign aims to examine why the region lags behind the rest of the country. However it also looks to celebrate the best the county has to offer.

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Our Inspiring Young Writers competition will be followed by teaching awards to be launched soon recognising the best work being done in classrooms.

Short story by Rhys Gannon, winner in the up to the age of 11 category in our Inspiring Young Writers competition

The time had come and there was no turning back. It was the morning of miserable Maggie’s birthday, she was about to turn 14. My devilish plan was about to come into action; the plan to spoil my horrible sister’s beautiful birthday celebrations!

I’d been secretly planning my revenge for 10 months, meanwhile she’d been bossing me about, making me do things that I didn’t want to do.

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It all started when Mum and Dad went out for tea and left Maggie in charge. Why? (Not a good idea!). She made me take out the disgusting bins, clean her grotesque goldfish tank and do the washing up. She was just getting started!

When Mum and Dad arrived home she boasted,“I’ve done the challenging chores Mum!” They gave her ten pounds. When I complained, Mum didn’t believe me because marvellous Maggie is so good when they’re around. Instead, I became really angry and was sent to my room for answering back whilst she stood smirking at me. UNFAIR!

The following week we both went to friend’s houses. When I returned from James’s party Maggie made me share all of my sweets yet she didn’t share any of hers after Beth’s. She’s so MEAN!

She loves embarrassing me too, especially when friends are here. For example, when Will came over, we all went to Water World. She shouted as loud as she could “It’s a shame you can’t go on the water slide, because you are only nine and not ten Charlie,”

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Then I wasn’t allowed on. I WONDER WHY? We also went to the fun fair where she volunteered me for the dunker. I GOT SOAKED! I was as wet as a saturated sponge.

Finally, the worst one, she held me down and put make up on me.

She took a picture and put it on Facebook. THAT’S HARSH!

She is just making my life a living hell! She truly is the meanest human on earth!

It wasn’t always like this. We used to do so many things together on numerous occasions, she used to play games with me and read to me every night.

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Maggie and I shared so much joy. I can distinctly remember the time one sunny morning, when we went to Lake Windermere, with our friends on holiday. The scenery was picturesque. The water shimmered, the view was wonderful and clear. You could see the mountains from miles away, even the British weather was good (very surprising).

After walking round the lake we watched an exciting boat race. Near the end of the boat race I ran forwards and pushed to the front of the crowd. Suddenly I lost my balance and tripped off the pier, plunging into the icy cold lake. My head submerged, it was like entering the underworld, so scary, silent and dark. I waved my arms in desperation as I couldn’t swim.

Mum and Dad rushed to try and get through to me, but my sister had already dived in and pushed me out from below. It was such a relief, I thought I would drown. Afterwards, she gave me a hug and a cup of hot chocolate. Then we laughed about it. This was when she loved me of course.

Not any more. She’s gone from magnificent Maggie to moody Maggie, from super sister to sloppy sister, from stupendous sister to stupid sister. She was as sweet as a bon bon and now she’s as rotten an egg!

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No, enough was enough, it was time for revenge! Over time I concocted a devious plan.

I got my shopping list ready and some terrible and unexpected presents!

Stink bomb (to go inside disco ball). CHECK!

Super Glue (to go on chairs). CHECK!

Voucher for birthday card. Volunteer Maggie to help out in an old people’s home! CHECK!

Make up (melts after 30 minutes and goes black). CHECK!

Whoopee cushions (to go under her bed for sleep over).CHECK!

Hot chilli sweets (to go on guest tables).CHECK!

Mustard ( to go in the cake mixture).CHECK!

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Paintball gun to splat other people (her friends and parents). CHECK!

It’s time to PARTY! It is the day of Maggie’s birthday and I have given her the make up and she was thrilled. I also gave her a card with a voucher inside saying the address of the old people’s home. I said it is a new theme park. She put her make up on 30 minutes before the party. Can’t wait to see the look, and colour of her face at the end!

So, the cake is made (Mum didn’t see me add the mustard), the seats and sweets are out and the guests are about to arrive. I am hiding, armed and dangerous with the paintball gun ready to set off the stink bomb! Deep breath here we go!

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