Winners of 2022 Kids News Short Story Competition announced

From cheese monsters on the moon to the heartbreak of war, young writers have wowed the judges with their imaginative tales in this year’s Kids News Short Story Comp. Meet the winners.

From cheese monsters on the moon, to the heartbreak of war, budding young authors have again wowed the judges in this year’s Kids News Short Story Competition.

Some stories contained important moral lessons, others environmental messages and many were simply great fun to read.

Renowned children’s author and competition judge Jackie French applauded the originality and skill of the young writers.

Renowned author and competition judge Jackie French applauded the originality and skill of the young writers. Picture: Kelly Sturgiss

“Reading these stories is always a highlight, and this year was no different,” Ms French said. “There are so many wonderful young writers out there. They have such vivid imaginations and an amazing ability to bring their original ideas to life in a short story.”

Kids News editor Kamahl Cogdon said she found many of the stories heartwarming.

“So many of these stories put a huge smile on my face. We all need stories like these after such a difficult couple of years with Covid,” she said.

This year’s winners were chosen from more than 1000 entries in the national competition, run by Kids News – News Corp Australia’s news website for classrooms – and publisher HarperCollins.

Hailing from Augustine Heights near Ipswich, QLD, year 2 student Georgie Bozhoff, 7, declared herself “just so excited” to have won the K-2 category for her story The Cheese Moon. Picture: Liam Kidston

Moon gazer Georgie Bozhoff, 7, from Augusta State School near Ipswich in Queensland, declared herself “just so excited” to have won the K-2 category for her story The Cheese Moon, featuring cheesemaking cows feeding very hungry monsters.

“They’re monsters with cheese fingernails and they’re really wanting to see what the cows have made for them,” Georgie said.

K-2 winner Georgie Bozhoff, 7, from Augustine Heights near Ipswich in Queensland, loves writing in her "peaceful" bedroom. Picture: supplied

The Grade 2 student had written “thousands and thousands” of stories but never entered a competition before.

A fan of Margaret Wild and Andy Griffiths, Georgie writes in her bedroom “because it’s peaceful in there, it’s a bit of a hidden room.”

As well as recording voice messages and creating Post It piles so she doesn’t lose any ideas, Georgie’s other top tip is writing something “fun and really entertaining for a reader.”

Tom Williams, 10, from Williamstown, Victoria, was the winner in the Years 3-4 age group of the Kids News Short Story Competition for his story The Magic Mustang. Picture: supplied

Car mad Tom Williams, 10, won the Years 3-4 category with The Magic Mustang, a story about a toy car that transforms into a life-size set of wheels during a full moon.

“I love cars, especially Mustangs,” said the Grade 4 student from Williamstown North Primary School in Victoria.

“I love the shape of Mustangs, all the different colours they can come in and also how long they’ve been around for.”

Tom’s recipe for success centres on writing about things he’s interested in, including cars, sport and the beach.

“I always do a story plan before I start to make sure I have a beginning, middle and end,” he added.

Grade 6 student Boris Eroshenko, 12, from Boronia in Victoria, took out first prize in the Years 5-6 category of Kids News Short Story Competition for his imaginative story The Bog King, about a monster puddle. Picture: Rebecca Michael.

Years 5-6 winner Boris Eroshenko wanted his winning story, The Bog King, to have a message for readers.

“With my story I am trying to say that it’s easier to be kind and being mean won’t really get you anywhere,” Boris, 12, said.

The Grade 6 student at Wattleview Primary School in Victoria said he was inspired to write his story about a puddle that wanted to be famous by stories his grandma told him about sailing miniature cardboard boats in puddles as a child.

“I thought what if it was not just the kids playing in the puddle, but the puddle was also playing with them,” he said

Young author of the Years 5-6 winning story about a monstrous muddy puddle, Boris Eroshenko, 12, wasn’t afraid of doing the research when it came to getting the details right. Picture: Rebecca Michael

Prolific writer Matilda Burns, 12, wrote three other stories that “didn’t seem right” before penning Home, the tale of a star-crossed WWII friendship between a young Jewish girl and a member of Hitler Youth that took out the Years 7-9 crown.

Matilda Burns, 12, won the Years 7-9 category for her WWII story Home. The Queensland year 7 student wrote three other stories before the self-confessed “perfectionist” was satisfied with her entry. Matilda is pictured at home on the family property near Gympie. Picture: Lachie Millard

“I wanted there to be loss and heartbreak, then forgiveness at the end, the redemption,” said the Grade 7 student from Queensland’s Gympie region, who is homeschooled by mum Colleen.

While she has been writing non-stop since she was three and hopes to be an author, Matilda adheres to the old adage of writers being readers first.

“I did a lot of my own research,” she said. “I read a lot of different genres, a lot of different authors … and I was interested in learning more about the Holocaust.”

Winner Matilda Burns, 12, said that as well as reading and writing, she loves “my siblings and my animals and I love acting.” Matilda is pictured at home with her cow Rosie on the family property near Gympie. Picture: Lachie Millard

Read all the winning stories including Runner Up and Highly Commended entries in each category HERE.

Originally published as Winners of 2022 Kids News Short Story Competition announced