Rules

1. Submit your story with the official Library cover sheet completely filled out.

2. Submit your story on 8 1/2 by 11 inch (or smaller) paper, portrait style, and one sided pages. No folded books and no double sided pages.

3. Leave 1 1/2 inch margins on all pages.

4. Pages must be numbered.

5. Illustrations must be drawn by hand on the paper and photographs must be printed on the paper. Do not tape or glue a different piece of paper to the story paper. Illustrations and photographs must be originals, no copyrighted images or names.

6. Use a paper clip to hold your book together. Do not use staples, binders, folders or lamination.

7. Work by yourself or with one other child in your same grade level. No stories created by more than 2 children will be accepted.

8. Submit your story by the end of the day on Tuesday, April 1st, 2025.

Judging

All stories will be judged during the same time period by community leaders and Library youth services staff. Stories in each grade level will be judged against one another with a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place (and 2 honorable mentions) being awarded to each grade level. Stories are selected based on originality, creativity, content, grammar, punctuation, completion and spelling. Entries will be judged based on the content of the first 50 pages of their submission. Longer entries are still welcome and accepted.

Publication

The 1st place winning stories will be bound as a hardback book that will stay in the library’s permanent collection. All placing or honorable mention stories are eligible to be purchased as a hardbound book for your personal library at the cost of $23.50 per book. An order form will be available after story judging is complete.