Kids' Choice KidLit Writing Contest FINALISTS

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!

Download Finalist Badge

Download Honorable Mention Badge

Download Participant Badge

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