Supported by Lancashire Authors’ Association in line with the constitution, ‘To encourage young Writers’.

Nine Primary Schools in and around Tarleton took part in this competition.  A total of 416 entries were received in the three categories.
Category 1 – Children in Years 1 & 2.  Category 2 – Children in Years 3 & 4.  Category 3 – Children in Years 5 & 6.

Winners, Runners-up and those, whose entries were Highly Commended, were presented with their awards by the Mayor of West Lancashire at a ceremony held at Tarleton Bowling Club on Monday 17th July 2017.

The entries were not judged on spelling and grammar, but on creativity, imagination, originality, plot and enjoyment.
(Things which cannot be corrected with the aid of a computer program.)

Below, you can read the winning stories in each category followed by those of the six Runners-up.

Category 1  Winner:      Matt and the Giant Baby      by Travis,  6yrs.  All Saints C. of E. Primary School.

Once upon a time there was a boy called Matt. Matt lived in a house with his Mum and Dad. He was excited because he was going to get a baby brother.
Early one morning the doorbell rang. It was the baby being delivered. The family opened the door and there was a giant box.

Matt opened the box with a ruler from corner to corner and inside was a giant baby!

This is your baby brother Sam said Mum. Matt was puzzled and Sam cried GIANT colosel tears. It was like a swimming pool.

Sam drank his milk from a fire engine hose.

They needed a cherry picker to change his dipers!

Matt made a plan to build a shrink ray!

He accidentally built a freeze ray! And a stink ray!

It finally worked!

Baby Sam kept shrinking and shrinking until he was TINY!

∞
                                   
Category 2  Winner:     The Dream Girl   by  Jessica,  9yrs.  Holy Trinity C.of E. Primary School

I was flying to the orphanage; my wings beating against the wind. My French-braided platinum blonde hair full of leaves from the dark forest. Then I saw it; it was like a prison castle. The walls were as black as night without a moon and stars. The door was bars with a handle to open and close it. There was one window it was in the children’s room.

I flew into the open window carrying my bag of golden eggs. I checked the orphanage child room it read 2248. I ticked it off my clip-board and glided to the first child’s bed. Her name was Arrabaila (it was sewn on her duvet) Arrabaila had a pair of flamenco shoes. I smiled to myself as I cracked the first shimmering golden egg.

All of a sudden a flamenco dancer popped out of the right shoe and danced over to Arrabaila! I smiled as Arrabaila flamenco danced in her sleep.

I flew over to the next child’s bed he was called Aron Aron had match attacks and a football. I cracked the egg I had brought with me as I had left the others on Arrabaila’s bed. Then came a football running around him.

As quick as a flash Arrabaila’s foot moved. I heard a crack she’d kicked an egg! CRASH,THUMP!!!  The egg had fallen onto a mystical book of……GIANT VIKINGS and DRAGONS!!!

I rushed to the book and flicked through the pages. It wasn’t good. It was a horror story left by a careless teenager. I could hear Arrabaila’s screams from her bed. I used my power and zoomed into the book. To save dream Arrabaila and STOP this horrid nightmare!

It was worse than I thought. There were at least four hundred giant Vikings and another four hundred rhinestone dragons as well! Arrabaila was screaming as fifty cornering her waiting to crush her. It was hailstoning like rocks falling on their heads. The dragons were waiting to scorch her. I flew as fast as possible and hit the giants on each of their bald heads. Chains burst out of the ground. They wrapped around each child and dragon. Arrabaila awoke and I flew quickly out of the window.

∞

Category 3   Winner:       The Giant Soldier    by William,  11yrs.  Rufford C.of E. Primary School

A thunderous sound echoed around my house; the floor shook violently. What I thought was a treacherous nightmare was in fact real – a bomb!

“Mother!” I shouted huskily, my voice trembling with fear.

No reply.

Throwing back my patchwork quilt, I strapped on the stifling gas mask beside me, praying that this sound wasn’t what I anticipated.

The gate to our house swung shut with a loud bang. I frantically opened my curtains to see a giant, black silhouette heading towards the forest. Flung over his shoulder was my injured mother.

He stopped all of a sudden, turned round and glared at me, his tight gas mask wrapped around his face made him look like a mythical creature. He raised his arm and beckoned me to follow him.

I scrambled out of bed, running downstairs hoping the figure would still be there. I slipped on my boots and opened the front door. He stared intensely in my direction, then took a few steps towards me. Grabbing my hand he yanked me towards the dark forest. I looked up at the man realising that he was at least 7ft tall, was I dreaming?  My fingers were burning from the incredibly tight grip of his colossal hand. In the dull morning sky above us dozens of Nazi planes zoomed about like demented flies. “Where are we going?”

“The Folly, in Natures Garden,” he replied in muffled tones. I knew this forest was called Natures’ Garden so I assumed that the folly was the dilapidated castle lost in the middle of the vast forest. My dad had always warned me about going into the forest, but I had no choice. Dad wasn’t here now. Two Christmases had passed without him. ‘Missing in Action’ we were told.

We soon arrived and climbed down into the bunker below the stone castle wall. The giant whipped off, gently placed mother on a bench and then treated her bloody wounds. I asked him what was going on, but he just looked at me as if I was nothing to him. I also noticed a rather distinct scar on his face, cutting down from the top of his right eyebrow piercing through his eye to the bottom of his cheek. I couldn’t help but wince. He turned away from me in shame.

“This is why I live here. I can’t have people seeing me.”

“See what?” I replied, as I watched him slowly pick the shrapnel out of my mother’s thigh.

“I was stationed in France, on the beaches of Dunkirk when I could see Hitler’s huge army on the horizon. Bombs were raining on us. We had no option other than to run. Blast after blast, bomb shrapnel fired at my face, the next thing I remember was lying in a boat. My face burning. I’m glad I fled safely, but my life will never be the same again….”

“Thank you for helping us, I’m Tom.”

“I’m Jack,” he replied smiling at me.

∞

Category 1  Runner-up:     The Kindest Giant in Town    by Jack, 6yrs.  All Saints C. of E. Primary School

Once upon a time there was a really tall giant called James. He lived in a giant house in a town called Smallville. He was the only giant in town. James didn’t have any friends he felt sad becos he was different to everyone else.

One day James went for a walk in the town. He came across a little family of mice that were all crying. James said whats the matter little mice? Mummy mouse answered we have had a fire and our house is ruined we have nowhere to live. What will we do?

James said take my shoes for your home. They will keep you safe and warm. James took off his shoes and gave them to the family of mice. Mummy mouse thanked the giant and James went on his way.

Along the path James saw a family of dogs all huddled together shivering. Whats the matter asked James. Daddy dog told James that their puppies were becoming ill because they had nowhere warm to sleep. James took off his jumper and threw it gently to the ground. Take my jumper for your bed. It will keep you warm he said. Thank you said Daddy Dog.  All the puppies huddled onto the warm woolly jumper and snuggled down to sleep.
James continued on the path. He walked for miles before heading home alone. When James arrived home he found lots of animals from the town around his house all cheering for him and clapping. James was surprised.

A bear stepped forward and said James we have all heard what you have done for the animals of this town. You are the kindest giant in town. You have made us all so happy and we want to be your friends and say thank you. James was so happy. He now had friends. They all lived happily ever after.

∞

Category 1:    Second Runner-up:   A Singing Giant called George   by Alyssa, 6yrs.   Little Hoole Primary School

Once upon a time there was a giant called George, who loved singing.

He lived in a large cave in the mountains next to a little village.

The giant would never visit the village because everywhere he went the people were so scared of him they would run away. So he was very lonely up in the mountains.

He was such a big giant , when he sang it was very loud and people in the village didn’t enjoy listening to him.

One sunny day he was singing loudly, it was so loud the babies of the village started to cry and wouldn’t stop. So some brave people from the village rushed up the mountain to ask the giant to stop singing so the babies would stop crying.

The giant was very upset because he didn’t understand why nobody enjoyed his singing.

The people from the village gave him a violin and taught him how to play it. He played the Violin day and night. They enjoyed the musi So much they danced around the village.

The more he played the better he got and the people were not scared of the giant anymore. The giant played music from the mountain tops and the people in the village sang songs to the giant’s music.                                                                   

∞

Category 2   Runner-up:     Kate’s Wish    by  Isabel,   7yrs.   Tarleton Community Primary School

Thump thump thump. When the world was made giants allready roamed the land but when humans arrived hunters started pointing there guns at the giants. In 1914 there was a poor girl named Kate and every day she went to the forest to find food.

One day she went to the forest and there was thunder or was it a earthquake. Kate saw a piece of coal or was it a piece of coal. Kate went over to the piece of coal. The closer Kate got to the coal the louder a snoring sound. When Kate got  to the so called piece of coal it was actually one stone from a castle. The castle looked old and broken. Kate searched for a way in. Luckerly there was a crack in the oak door. “Aaachoo” sneezed Kate when she squeezed through the gap. “Bless you” shouted a mysterious creature.

The creatures eye was blue and it looked as big as the London eye and he looked like a giant. He wore old and dirty clothes. “Please may I chase you I am trying to be meen.” whispered the giant. “Oh fine” said Kate. So the chase was on. Surprisingly Kate was faster. Soon after Kate reached the forest so Kate ran in so the giant would lose him.  Just when Kate ran into the huge forest it started to rain.  “No it’s raining  so now I can’t find my way home .” Shouted the giant.

Slowly Kate made her way out of the forest to comfort the giant “Why can’t you see”

“Because giants like me can’t see very well especily when it is raining.” Said the giant sadly

“Don’t tell me you want me to bring you back home”

“Err ye”

“No don’t tell me I will just bring you anyway.”

When the giant and Kate and the giant arrived home the giant whispered “I will grant you a wish if you want.”

“What do you want most of all.”

“Oh all I want is a girlfriend.”

“OK I wish for you to have a girlfriend.”

After Kate said those words a beautiful female giant appered but Kate disapperd  and nowone knows what happened to Kate from that day.

∞

Category 2   Second Runner-up:    The Viking Giant  by     Bryony,  9yrs    Holy Trinity  C. of E. Primary School

Once there was a nine year old girl called Heidi who lived in Lindesfarne. Heidi loved history and studied Vikings a lot. Heidi had heard rumors  that Vikings used to live in the castle beyond the forest. At night some poisoness mist surrounds the castle, making it
un-bearable to go near if you are an ordinary human. Inside of the castle, 2 vikings rest. Heidi wasn’t planning on exploring the Viking castle until one day this happened.

“Heidi! The ball went into the forest. Well it got thrown in there by Roxy!” Erin shouted. Heidi started walking to the entrance of the dark gloomy forest.

“You will get cursed by the monks of the Viking ages!” Roxy joked.  Heidi started to enter the forest confidently until she got distracted again. Heidi turned around because she heard a giggle.  Roxy was pulling a fake , worried face. Heidi rolled her eyes and turned back to face the forest. She jogged into the forest and picked up the ball.  Suddenly a crow landed on Heidis foot which caused her to chuck the ball into the moat around the big, stone castle.

“Get off! Oh the ball! Maybe I have been cursed by the monks after all!” Heidi cried.

Heidi unfortunately had a phobia of crows. She started to wave her foot around wildly while screaming. Heidi was acting like a chicken, infact Heidi was a chicken. She was scared of everything. Once she was scared of her own shadow. Heidi was a short girl with brunette long hair.  Heidi played the viola and was born in Nelson.

“Ow!” Heidi squealed as she lost her balance.  Rubbing her knees Heidi got up and gasped at what she saw. The moat was rushing  around the castle splashing against the walls as it went. Water was trickling down the castle walls and onto the green grass below. Moss covered the stone castle walls and the bridge had a lever which you would pull down to get across.

“Wow! I never knew the castle was that” – Heidi gasped but got interrupted.

“Heidi! Go and look at the castle tomorrow!” Heidi’s dad shouted.

“Alright,” Heidi moaned dragging her feet across the muddy floor. So she trudged through the mud back to her house.

The next day Heidi returned to the forest. She stood next to the lever and pulled it down with all might. Heidi fell onto the floor because it was so hard. The lever was rusty and old but it worked! The bridge went into place very slowly. Finally Heidi started to walk across the bridge. At the end of the bridge 3 steps were crumbling away.  Heidi carefully placed her feet and climbed up the steps.

“Lets do this!” Heidi said and she stepped forward to knock on the door.

Suddenly everything looked brand new! “I have gone back in time” Heidi gasped but she was confused.

“Hi ! yes you have gone back in time” a voice giggled, Heidi turned round. A girl was beaming at her.

“OK. Hi” Heidi said.

“Hello! Hello! Hello! And Hello!” The girl shouted.

“Stop!” Heidi screamed.

“Collaborate and listen!” The girl giggled. Heidi rolled her eyes and turned to face the castle doors.

“OH Goodbye!” The girl said and Heidi heard a pitter-patter of footsteps.  Heidi entered the grand ancient castle.

“Hello Visitor.”  a voice boomed. Heidi looked around but couldn’t see anyone.

“Up here.” the voice chuckled. Heidi looked up. What she saw scared her and also made her relieved. If this was Bergthora Gralock she could go home. Bergthora had hair matted with sand and sea water because of all the exploring he used to do. She wore a ripped jacket, shirt and skirt. Her hat had metal spikes on it.

“Are you Bergthora?” Heidi stammered.

“Yes. Bergthora  Gralock that is.”  The giant replied.

“Can you help me get home?” Heidi asked biting her fingernails.

“Yes. On one condition though…”Bergthora said slowly.

“What?” Heidi asked.

“There is an enemy in your village. “I want to help!” Bergthora exclaimed.

“Sure you can help.” Heidi answered.

Bergthora rushed around gathering weapons. She put them in a brown sack. They were ready.
“Follow me” Bergthora said and led the way.

When they got into the village the enemy was already there. As they watched the enemy destroy huts Heidi yanked the giant’s hand desperately. Arnora (The girl which said Hi to Heidi) came with them and was NOT helping. AT all.

“This is funny.”Arnora laughed

“You are NOT helping!” Heidi screeched.
Arnora pointed to the enemy (who was called Jackau.)  Everyone was looking at them.
“Great!” Heidi thought
“I want a fight!” Bergthora declared.

 Jackau nodded and he jumped forward to bite  Bergthora on her chunky hairy leg. He managed to bite her and Bergthora had green poisoness goo  dripping down her leg. Shaking Arnora tried to stab Jackau in the arm with Bergthora’s powerful blade but it was too heavy for her and she dropped it on Jackau’s foot.  Jackau screeched in pain and collapsed. Heidi wanted to check on Bergthora so she turned around to find her on the ground. She was poisoned. But also she was gone forever.

“No!” Anora cried dropping to the ground next to Bergthora. 
Arnora had a broken arm because of the weight of the powerful blade. I guess it’s up to me. Heidi thought and she stepped forward to face Jackau.

Jackau was crossed between a Jackal and a hawk. He had a crooked golden beak and feathers which shone in the sunlight. Heidi never knew why they shone but maybe they were made out of pure gold.  Heidi was petrified. What could a 9 year old do? She was hopeless. Even though it was a crazy idea, she flung her sword to Jackau. He fell to the ground dead. Arnora and Berthora disappeared.

3 weeks later it was Bergthora’s funeral. No-one went. Except of course, Heidi. Heidi was upset. Infact very upset. Below the grave 10 flowers were swaying in the breeze. Heidi went home and slouched into her bed.

Everybody was sad. Would they ever be happy or would they be sad forever ?

∞

Category 3 Runner-up: Big Bella the Ballerina becomes a Princess by  Aimee, 10 yrs. All Saints C. of E. Primary School

Once upon a time there lived a beautiful queen called Kate. Queen Kate lived in Cupcake castle. Cupake castle was full of sprinkles. The sprinkles were red, green, blue, purple and rainbow coloured. One day a giant called Big Bella, the ballerina went to Cupcake castle to dance for the queen but every time she danced the coloured sprinkles fell into the forest down below.

Big Bella the Ballerina, lived in the forest. When she returned home after dancing for Queen, she couldn’t find her home or her friends, who also lived in the forest, because everything was covered with sprinkles.

There were red, green, blue, purple and rainbow coloured sprinkles everywhere.

There was a big path in the centre of all the sprinkles and Big Bella, the Ballerina, followed the path. She was just walking and then in the middle of the path there was a round sparkling thing so Big Bella walked up to it found the Queen’s crown on the floor. Big Bella the Ballerina, picked up the crown and put it on. When she put the crown on she turned into a princess and she could see all the beautiful fairies. However when she took the crown off she turned straight back into a giant.

Queen Kate was very sad that she had lost her crown and asked all the guards to go down into the forest and search for it.

Big Bella the Ballerina loved the crown as it made her feel special to be a princess, but she was also sad because she knew the Queen was upset because she had lost her crown.

Big Bella, really wanted to keep the crown, but she realised she had to do the right thing. She took the crown back to the Queen’s castle and explained that the crown must had fallen from Cupcake castle when Big Bella was dancing for the Queen. She told the Queen that she had found it in the forest below amongst all the sprinkles.

Queen Kate was very pleased to find her crown, and also very glad that Big Bella, the Ballerina, had been honest enough to return her crown. To show how happy she was, she said that Big Bella, the ballerina could wear the crown when she came to dance for her. That would mean that Big Bella, the ballerina would turn into a princess when she wore the crown, and she wouldn’t make all the sprinkles fall off Cupcake castle.

So the next time Big Bella, the ballerina, visited the Queen, she wore the crown and danced a most beautiful dance for Queen Kate.  Everyone clapped at the end of the performance, and when Big Bella, the ballerina, returned home to the forest, she was able to find her home and all her friends, because the sprinkles were still on Cupcake castle instead all over the forest!

∞

Category 3   Second Runner-up:  The Forest, Giant and the Castle    by Kian  10 yrs.   Little Hoole Primary School

The sky grew dark and the villagers scattered, “Help! Save us!” They cried as they ran in terror towards the safety of the stone castle nestled on the mountainside. “The dragon has returned!” screamed the terrified villagers. “Run for your life’s!” Hovering high above the castle walls, with its tremendous scaly wings outstretched, was a huge fire breathing dragon with bulging blood shot eyes and flaring nostrils. Clouds of grey smoke spewed out of its mouth, followed by licking orange flames, the heat so intense that all the trees and plants around withered and died.  “Curses on you!” snarled the dragon as it blasted the castle with its fiery breath. The village once peaceful, had been the target for the dragon, on a daily basis since it had taken up residence in the neighbouring forest. Luckily for the villagers help was close to hand from a most unlikely source.

Hubert the friendly but VERY forgetful and spell casting giant was just taking his evening stroll, striding over the mountains as if they were tiny bumps. As usual Hubert wasn’t taking any notice of his surroundings, and as the dragon returned to her lair they bumped straight into each other. Now Hubert was not at all pleased to be so close to the foul smelling breath of the fierce dragon, it was enough to send even the friendliest of giants into a  frenzy! Thinking that the hungry dragon had been trying to take a bite of him, or even eat him, he flew into a rage.

With huge arms outstretched he chanted, “A fire breathing dragon you will no longer be, I have cast a spell so just wait and see!” With that Hubert strode home, and he settled in his chair for a well earned snooze. Without further ado, and unaware that a spell was upon her, the dragon returned to her nest in the dense forest and with a rumbling stomach fell into an unsettled sleep.
The next morning, as the dragon awoke her mood was not improved by her still empty tummy, so once again she set out to feast on the unfortunate villagers. Dragon Ahoyyyy! called the lookout from his tower on top of the castle. As the huge shadow once more loomed overhead, the fiery jets of the dragons breath never came,  and as the enchanted creature breather in deeply and exhaled, a shower of white fluffy snow flakes blew out of its mouth, fluttering downward from its gaping jaws.

Inside the castle everyone started to laugh. What a funny spectacle this was! The dragon was humiliated no evil fire breathing beast could ever blast a castle with snow flakes! The dragon turned and flew off into the distance never to return.

The King threw a party to celebrate being free from the dragons clutches, and Hubert was invited as guest of honour. All the villagers, Hubert and the King enjoyed a dragon free feast and future.