2022 Spooky story contest for kids
Published: September 8, 2022
Fall is our favourite time of year for all things spooky.
Do you like telling ghost stories, or writing witchy adventures? We want to read them! Children in kindergarten to grade 7 who live or attend school on the North Shore can enter our Spooky Story contest for a chance to win prizes and have their spooky story published in the "Spooky Story Treasury" at City Library.
Age categories
- Kindergarten – Grade 2
- Grade 3 – 5
- Grade 6 – 7
Prizes
- 1st place: City Library T-shirt & $25 Kidsbooks gift card
- 2nd place: $15 Kidsbooks gift card
- 3rd place: $10 Kidsbooks gift card
All winning stories will also be published in the "Spooky Stories Treasury" at City Library.
Contest rules
- Meet the length requirement for your age category
- Kindergarten – Grade 2: minimum 1/2 page; maximum 2 pages
- Grade 3 – 5: minimum 1 page; maximum 3 pages
- Grade 6 – 7: minimum 2 pages; maximum 4 pages
- Minimum and maximum lengths are based on typed 12pt font with 1.5 spacing
- Judges will stop reading at the maximum length, even if you have written more
- Original illustrations or pictures can be included for bonus points
- Illustrations or pictures from other artists or media will not earn bonus points
- Original stories only; no adaptations or fan fiction
- No teams; children must write stories on their own and enter as individuals
- Stories must be typed or written clearly
- Children who cannot write clearly or type on their own may dictate their story to an adult; adults should do their best to write the story exactly as told by the child
Submit your spooky story
Stories will be accepted online via file upload or in person at the children's desk at the library. All submissions are due by Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 9 p.m.
Classroom entries
Use this form if you are a teacher and are submitting on behalf of your entire classroom.
Individual entries
Use this form to upload a story by yourself! Stories from individuals are also accepted in person at the children's desk at the library.