Writer’s Digest 92nd Annual Competition Children’s/Young Adult Fiction First Place Winner: “Never Read Alone”
Congratulations to Kathleen Jacobs, first-place winner in the Children’s/Young Adult Fiction category of the 92nd Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. Here’s her winning story, “Never Read Alone.”
Congratulations to Kathleen Jacobs, first-place winner in the Children’s/Young Adult Fiction category of the 92nd Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition. Here's her winning story, "Never Read Alone."
Never Read Alone
by Kathleen Jacobs
WARNING!
Books can be dangerous.
But don’t worry, I’m here to help.
No! No! Don’t turn the page!
I need to tell you about …
PAPERCUTS.
Ouch! Are you okay?
Thank goodness! Listen, I’m responsible for your safety and…
HALT! What do you think you’re doing?
No reading alone. I haven’t told you about…
GERMS.
Eww! Yuck! Gross!
You don’t know where this book has been. Go wash your hands.
I’ll wait. Hey, stop that! There might be a…
DIFFICULT WORD.
See? I told you. You’re NOT ready to read alone!
Oh, you sounded it out. Um… well, good work.
So next, I want to warn you about… Wait a second; I see what you’re doing. Ugh! Don’t skip ahead. I need to tell you about…
VOCABULARY.
Look! You’re surrounded by words you don’t understand.
What? You used context clues to figure out what they mean?
Well, just because you’re a genius doesn’t mean you should turn the page because you might come across a…
SAD PART.
Sniff, sniff, snuffle.
Don’t worry, teardrops won’t hurt me.
There, there. It’s going to be all right.
Hold up! I thought you learned your lesson. Don’t skip ahead, or you might gain …
KNOWLEDGE.
I’m warning you! Knowledge is a dangerous thing because it will lead to big…
IDEAS.
Now you’ve done it.
I’m putting my foot down. I FORBID you to read alone, or you might consider someone else’s…
PERSPECTIVE!
I hope you’re happy.
Never mind… I give up!
Just be forewarned if you put all these ingredients together, it will lead to…
THINKING FOR YOURSELF!
Oh, what have I’ve done?
You’re not ready for this.
I’ve failed you.
Wait! What did you say?
If you turn the page, you might make the world a…
BETTER PLACE.
But that’s a HUGE responsibility.
Oh, I see.
If you turn pages and read on your own, you’ll be ready!
Good point.
Well, come to think of it, I can’t think of anyone better suited for the job. So, can you do me a favor and turn the page? I can’t wait to see…
WHAT YOU’LL DO NEXT!
Since obtaining her MFA in fiction, Moriah Richard has worked with over 100 authors to help them achieve their publication dreams. As the managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine, she spearheads the world-building column Building Better Worlds, a 2023 Eddie & Ozzie Award winner. She also runs the Flash Fiction February Challenge on the WD blog, encouraging writers to pen one microstory a day over the course of the month and share their work with other participants. As a reader, Moriah is most interested in horror, fantasy, and romance, although she will read just about anything with a great hook.
Learn more about Moriah on her personal website.
