A decade of stories with our Young Authors Challenge

Every year, primary and intermediate students from all over Auckland and Whangarei are given the opportunity to create a short story and enter it into the Barfoot & Thompson Young Authors Challenge. 

The best stories are then selected by a panel of judges to go into a storybook, turning the students into published authors. 

2017 celebrates the tenth year that the competition has been run and the tenth book to be published. 

Bringing the stories to life

The writers of the winning stories attend a workshop with New Zealand authors to put the finishing touches on their tales. 

They are then brought to life through illustrations by some famous Kiwi names such as rugby great, Keven Mealamu. Past illustrators have included Otis Frizzell, Benny Tipene, Kiri Nathan, Dick Frizzell and Liz Findlay. 

Giving back

Since its inception, the Young Authors Challenge has been committed to giving back to the community. All proceeds from the sales of the storybook go to the Starship Foundation and the Magic of Reading programme, which aims to gift a book to every child that stays overnight at Starship Hospital, or in the children's ward of Whagarei Hospital. 

Making milestones

• Since launching in 2008, the Young Authors Challenge has turned over 100 students into published authors.
• Last year saw us receive over 1,600 entries from students all over Auckland and Northland.
• Over 25,000 books are put into childrens' hands each year through the Magic of Reading programme. 
• Once this year's book is printed, over 50 stories will have been publishd through the Young Authors Challenge. 
• This will be Keven Mealamu's tenth year illustrating our storybooks.