The Journey
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Organised by
Sponsored by
Brief
Your Write Stuff Challenge for 2025 is to write an imaginative 300-word story entitled, The Journey.
The word ‘journey’ conjures up ideas of travel, which may be exciting, eventful, adventurous, disastrous, even life changing. It may suggest a metaphorical journey such as a transition, a life-changing experience leading to growth; it may be a journey through time and space or it could be inspired by your own journey through life.
The title lends itself to a myriad of interpretations and genres: adventure, fantasy, historical, science fiction, a fictional memoir … the possibilities are endless.
Focus on using vivid description as you create your characters, and close detail in the setting to bring your ideas to life.
Craft your story so that it is vivid and original; the judges will be looking for creativity, clarity, style and accuracy of language which will transport them with you on your journey.
We wish you bon voyage as you embark on this year’s challenge!!
What we are looking for
- Originality and imagination — we are looking for students to produce an original piece of writing that focuses on story and plot.
- Creativity, clarity, style and accuracy of language which will transport the reader with you on your journey.
- The ability to create a story or episode which is vivid, original and memorable to impress the judges.
Prizes
First Prize
£50
Plus the 2025 trophy, a certificate, a signed book, an original illustration, a pair of Aurigny flights, Island Families membership and your story published on the website.
Primary / Intermediate / Senior
Second Prize
£25
Plus a certificate, a signed book, an original illustration and your story published on the website.
Primary / Intermediate / Senior
Third Prize
£25
Plus a certificate, a signed book, an original illustration and your story published on the website.
Primary / Intermediate / Senior
Additional Learning Needs
£50
Plus the 2025 trophy, a certificate, a signed book, an original illustration, a pair of Aurigny flights, Island Families membership and your story published on the website.
Primary / Secondary
Highly Commended Prizes
£10 book tokens
Plus a certificate and your story published on the website.
Up to 5 prizes in primary, intermediate and senior. Up to 2 prizes in the Additional Learning Needs category
The Categories
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Primary
Years 3/4/5/6
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Intermediate
Years 7/8/9
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Senior
Years 10+
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Additional Learning Needs (ALN)
Primary & Secondary
Judges
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Dapo Adeola
Primary Judge
Dapo Adeola is an illustrator, author and character designer who was awarded Illustrator of the Year at The British Book Awards in 2022. Dapo rocketed into the picture book world with his greatly acclaimed illustrator debut, Look Up!, written by Nathan Bryon and published by Puffin in 2019, which won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in 2020. Dapo illustrated My Dad is a Grizzly Bear and My Mum Is a Lioness written by award-winning author Swapna Haddow (both published by Macmillan Children’s Books), and collaborated with Malorie Blackman on their picture book We’re Going to Find the Monster. Dapo made his author debut in 2021 with the Puffin published picture book Hey You!: An Empowering Celebration of Growing Up Black, featuring 18 talented Black British illustrators, which also went on to win Illustrated book of the year at The British Book Awards in 2022.
Born in Britain and of Nigerian heritage, Dapo is an avid believer in the importance of equal representation in the creative arts. He currently lives in Manchester.
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Louie Stowell
Intermediate Judge
Louie Stowell writes books about magic, gods and monsters (mostly). She has written carefully-researched books about space, ancient Egypt, politics and science but eventually lapsed into just making stuff up. She has written fiction for 8–12 (Nosy Crow and Walker Books US), but Loki: A Bad God's Guide series is her first as both author and illustrator, inspired by her research into Norse myths. Louie writes full time in London, where she lives with her wife Karen, her dog Buffy and a creepy puppet that is probably cursed.
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Pari Thomson
Senior Judge
Pari Thomson is the author of the New York Times bestselling Greenwild series, as well as being an editorial director for picture books at Bloomsbury Children’s Books. Greenwild: The World Behind the Door was Blackwell’s Children’s Book of the Year and winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2023. Half Persian, half English, Pari has lived in many places, including India, Pakistan, the United States and Belgium. She studied at Oxford University and now lives in London, not far from Kew Gardens.
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Huw Lewis Jones
ALN judge
Dr Huw Lewis Jones is a polar-exploring author and naturalist, who grew up in Guernsey. He now lives in Cornwall where he is a professor at Falmouth University, teaching natural history and other creative things. Huw also travels across the Arctic and Antarctica each year working as an expedition leader. He has written numerous books for children, including award-winning Do Bears Poop in the Woods?, Do Penguins Like the Cold?, the Bad Apple series of picture books, and the best-seller Clive Penguin. To date, his books have been published in 19 languages. Huw is a Guest Curator of the Guernsey Literary Festival.
Filter Judges
Filter judges this year include Julia Bichard and Adam Bayfield from the Guille Allès Library, retired English teachers Maz Campbell and Sue Williams-Smith and Suzie Almond, a creative education specialist with experience of first round judging for the BBC 500 Words and Settle Stories competitions.
The Illustrator
The illustrations for the competition have been designed by Lynda Adlington who has also been commissioned to produce bespoke illustrations of the winning stories.