We were absolutely thrilled with all the incredible entries we received for our Halloween Creative Writing Competition this year! Your children’s fantastic stories were all jam-packed with magic, mystery and adventure.
There can, however, only be one winner, and this year, Jezneel from our Harborne Centre blew us away with her outstanding story.
Here’s what Andrew Norriss, author of Felix Unlimited, had to say about Jezneel’s story:
“But for my money the undoubted winner was Jezneel’s story of a girl who found the secret door in the library, went through it, and met a host of good people on the other side with whom she sat down, talked, and shared stories. She stays there for several days before regretfully leaving – though she plans to return. It’s a good yarn, and it wasn’t until the very last line that I suddenly realised that what she was saying was that all libraries have a hidden door into another world, where you can meet people who will share stories and may even turn out to be your friends. Because that is what books are. Doorways to another, infinitely varied world. Her piece was written, into the bargain, in flawless grammar and with perfect spelling. I thought it was brilliant. Well done, Jezneel!”
– Andrew Norriss
Brilliant work that shows off her creative writing skills and imagination! Well done Jezneel!
Curious to find out more? We are delighted to be able to present Jezneel’s story below. Go check it out!
Jezneel’s Story
‘The library was the same as it had been every day, full of books and silent readers.
I was in a place of peace and quiet; as such, it was the last place I had expected to find a hidden doorway to another world. At first, I thought, I had imagined it, but when I blinked, the doorway was still there. It was a small door, tucked away, in the corner of the library, and it seemed to be glowing faintly. Curious, I approached it and placed my hand on the door handle. It was warm to the touch. When I opened it, I found myself in a completely different world.
The colours were vibrant, the air was sweet, and the sun was shining brightly.
I looked around, marvelling at the beauty of the world around me. I looked around in awe. The sky was a deep navy blue, and the stars twinkled brightly above. All around me were tall trees rustling and swaying in the breeze. I felt a chill, like I was the only one here, besides a few rainbow deer. I took a few steps forward and then stopped. In the distance, I could make out a faint sound of chanting in another language. Curious, I followed the sound until I came to a clearing. In the centre was a small fire, and around it was a large group of people dressed in strange clothing. I listened to the chanting and soon found myself joining in. The others welcomed me with open arms, and I soon felt like I was a part of the group.
As the night went on, I listened to the stories told around the fire, each one more incredible than the last.
I spent many nights in the hidden world, learning the ways of the people and discovering new things. But eventually, I knew it was time to return.
I thanked the people for their kindness and stepped through the doorway with a final wave goodbye.
Back in the library, I smiled. I’d had an amazing adventure and I knew that I would go back someday. I had found something that could only be found in the pages of a book.’
Thank you so much to every pupil who entered. We hope you enjoyed crafting your stories as much as we enjoyed reading them.
