2025 First Page Student Writing Challenge is on! (Deadline February 28, 2025)

Where do you think our world will be in 150 years? How will issues like climate action or human rights, sustainability or war and peace play out in the future? Tell us a story that explores one of those many issues by entering CBC Books' annual student writing challenge, The First Page. If you are or know a student enrolled in Grades 7 through 12, it's time to get writing and enter this fabulous writing opportunity.

From the CBC Books post,  here's what you need to know:

 

 

Partipants:

• All Canadian residents who are full-time students enrolled in Grades 7 to 12 are eligible. Entries will be judged in two age categories: Grades 7 to 9 and Grades 10 to 12. 

 

 • • •

Entries:

• Write the first page of a novel set 150 years from now, exploring how a modern day current affairs event or trend has played out. 

• Write between 300 and 400 words.

• Include a title (which is not counted in the word limit).

 

  • • •

 

Submission:

• Complete the online submission form via Submittable through CBC Books at 

https://cbcliteraryprizes.submittable.com/submit/319477/the-2025-first-page-student-writing-challenge

• If having difficulties, contact cbcbooks@cbc.ca for assistance.

 

 • • •

 

Deadline:

• February 28, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST 

 

 • • •

Judging and Prizes:

• A team of Canadian literary experts will first select the shortlist. Then writer S. K. Ali (author of books that include Saints and Misfits, Love from A to Z, and Fledgling) will select the winners of the two categories. 

• Winners will receive a one-year subscription to OwlCrate, which delivers monthly boxes of books and literary-related goodies. 

• The school library of each winner will also receive a donation of 50 books.

 

 

 

Check out previous winners and finalists from across Canada at https://www.cbc.ca/books/the-first-page-student-writing-challenge-past-winners-and-finalists-1.6262657.

  

Good luck to all participants!

 

The First Page Student Writing Challenge for 2024

It's back! CBC Books's wonderful student writing contest is back and with a new author to judge your entires. For teachers and parents, it's a fabulous opportunity to get Canadian students in Grades 7 through 12 writing. For young adults, it's a compelling way to get your writing out there and to win a prize of monthly boxes of books (for a year)! Details can be found at CBC Books website at https://www.cbc.ca/books/the-first-page-student-writing-challenge-is-open-for-submissions-1.4269274.

 

What is the Challenge?

     Write the first page of a novel set in 2174 in which the main character is facing an issue that is important today but set in the future so that we can see how it's played out 150 years from now.

     Your entry, in any genre, should be between 300 and 400 words, and include a title (though it is not included in your word count).

Who can enter? 

     The contest is open to all Canadian residents who are full-time students in Gr.ades 7 to 12. Enter through the submission link at CBC Books's Literary Prizes website at https://cbcliteraryprizes.submittable.com/submit

     Before submitting, check out the full rules and regulations at CBC Books to ensure your submission meets all requirements.

 

What is the deadline for entering?

      The contest runs from February 1-29, 2024, closing at 11:59 p.m. ET on Feb. 29, 2024.

 

How will entries be judged?

     Entries will be judged in two categories:

         Grades 7-9

         Grades 10-12 

Judging will be by author Basil Sylvester who co-authored The Fabulous Zed Watson! and Night of the Living Zed with their father Kevin Sylvester.

 

 

What are the prizes?

     The winner of each category will receive a one-year subscription to OwlCrate, which delivers monthly boxes of books and literary-related goodies. 

     The school library of each winner will also receive a donation of 50 books.

 

Want a little help?

     Head to Curio.ca (most schools have access) for helpful writing videos from authors like Erin Bow, Cory Doctorow, and Cherie Dimaline.

Good luck 

to all teen readers and now writers!

🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊

CBC Books: The First Page 2022 Student Writing Challenge

Get your students in Grades 7 to 12 writing with
CBC Books'

2022

THE FIRST PAGE
STUDENT WRITING CHALLENGE

The Challenge:  
• Write the first page of a speculative fiction novel set 150 years after 2022 exploring how a modern day current affairs event or trend has played out.
• Submission should be between 300 and 400 words. (It must not exceed 400 words.) Be sure to give your "book" a title.

Eligible Participants:
• All Canadian residents who are full time students enrolled in Gr. 7 to 12 may enter.

Timeline:
• Submit here between 9 AM (ET) February 1, 2022 and 9 PM (ET) February 28, 2022

Selection:

• A team of Canadian middle grade and YA writers will help curate the two shortlists, based on:  creativity, critical thinking, and quality of writing.

• The final judge, author Sarah Raughley, will determine the winners of the two categories.

Prizes:
• One year subscription to OwlCrate, a monthly delivery of a box of books (winners will choose from MG or YA packages).
• The school library of each winner will also receive a donation of 50 books.

Full details of this writing challenge are provided at CBC Books with rules and regulations available here.

The 2020 First Page Student Writing Challenge

Art by Ben Shannon

Get your students in Grades 7 to 12 writing with

CBC Books'

2020

THE FIRST PAGE
STUDENT WRITING CHALLENGE

in which two winning entries

 (one for Gr. 7-9 and one for Gr. 10-12)

will be selected by

 

 award-winning author

David A. Robertson

 

The Challenge:  
• Write the first page of a speculative fiction novel set 150 years into the future imagining how current world issues and trends would evolve in the next century
• Write 300-400 words.  Be sure to give your "book" a title.

Eligible Participants:
• All Canadian residents who are full time students enrolled in Gr. 7 to 12 may enter.

Timeline:

• Submit here between November 4, 2020 and November 26, 2020

Selection:

• Author David A. Robertson will judge the entries based on the following criteria:

•     creativity;
•     critical thinking; and
•     quality of writing
  

• Shortlists of 10 entries per grade category will be selected from which the winner will be chosen.

Prizes:

• One year subscription to OwlCrate, a monthly delivery of a box of books (winner may select middle grade or young adult)

• The school library of each winner will also receive 50 YA books chosen by CBC.

Full details of this writing challenge are provided at CBC Books with rules and regulations available here.

Teachers' guides and writing tips are available from the CBC Books website for the contest. 

 

2020 Forest of Reading® winners announced

Everything has been a little different this year. Readers would normally be reading and voting in their schools for the Ontario Library Association's Forest of Reading's readers' choice award programs but this pandemic has certainly changed the way things are normally done. Rather than announcing the awards at the annual Festival of Trees, this year's award ceremonies were held online, hosted by CBC Books on Curio.ca, an educational streaming platform (normally subscription based). Fortunately, these ceremonies were posted for all to see. It was a wonderful way to experience the authors and illustrators up close and hear their words and witness the awarding of the readers' choice favourites.

Here are this year's winners for each reading program as announced at the Forest of Reading Festival Award Ceremonies streamed on Curio CBC. The ceremonies for the English-language books were held on June 16, 2020 and can be viewed at https://curio.ca/en/collection/forest-of-reading-2020-2822/ while the ceremonies for the French-language awards were held on June 18, 2020 and shown at https://curio.ca/fr/collection/la-foret-de-la-lecture-2020-2823/.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

Winner

That’s Not Hockey
Written by Andrée Poulin
Illustrated by Félix Girard
Annick Press

Honour Books:

The Reptile Club
Written by Maureen Fergus
Illustrated by Elina Ellis
Kids Can Press

Sloth at the Zoom
Written by Helaine Becker
Illustrated by Orbie
Kids Can Press

Winner

Megabat
Written by Anna Humphrey
Illustrated by Kass Reich
Tundra Books

Honour Books:

Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13
Written by Helaine Becker
Illustrated by Dow Phumiruk
Henry Holt & Company

The Mushroom Fan Club
Written and illustrated by Elise Gravel
Drawn & Quarterly

Winner

The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane
Written by Julia Nobel
Sourcebooks

Honour Books:

Inkling
Written by Kenneth Oppel
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
HarperCollins Canada

Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster
Written by Jonathan Auxier
Puffin Canada

Winner

Too Young to Escape: A Vietnamese Girl Waits to be Reunited with Her Family

Written by Van Ho and Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

Pajama Press

Honour Books:

The Superpower Field Guide to Beavers
Written by Rachel Poliquin
Illustrated by Nicholas John Frith
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Killer Style: How Fashion Has Injured, Maimed, and Murdered Through History
Written by Allison Matthews-David and Serah-Marie McMahon
Illustrated by Gillian Wilson
Owlkids Books

Winner

No Fixed Address

Written by Susin Nielsen

Tundra Books

Honour Books:

In the Key of Nira Ghani
Written by Natasha Deen
Running Kids Press

The Unteachables
Written by Gordon Korman
Scholastic Canada

Winner

Sadie

Written by Courtney Summers

Wednesday Books

Honour Books:

All Our Broken Pieces
Written by L. D. Crichton
Disney-Hyperion

Crown of Feathers
Written by Nicki Pau Preto
Simon & Schuster

Winner/Lauréat

La corde à linge
Written and illustrated by Orbie
Less 400 coups  

Honour Books/Livres distingués:

Tellement sauvage!
Written by Mireille Messier
Illustrated by France Cormier
Éditions D’eux

Ils ne veulent pas jouer avec moi!!!
Written by Andrée Poulin
Illustrated by Lucile Danis Drouot
Dominique et compagnie

Winner/Lauréat

Aventurosaure 01: Le réveil de Rex
Written and illustrated by Julien Paré-Sorel
Presses Aventure 

Honour Books/Livres distingués:

L’étrange fille au chat
Written by Rémy Simard
Illustrated by Julie Rocheleau
La courte échelle

Collé
Written and illustrated by Jean Lacombe
Soulières éditeur 

Winner/Lauréat

Vingt-cinq moins un
Written by Geneviève Piché   
Éditions Québec Amérique 

Honour Books/Livres distingués:

Jules et Jim, frères d’armes
Written and illustrated by Jacques Goldstyn
Bayard Canada Livres

Les timbrés 01: Le navet spatial
Written and illustrated by Dom Pelletier
Éditions Scholastic
 

The full press release is available at the Ontario Library Association's Forest of Reading® website.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

Congratulations to everyone!

The 2019 First Page Student Writing Challenge

Get your students in Grades 7 to 12 writing with
CBC Books' 

THE FIRST PAGE 
STUDENT WRITING CHALLENGE

in which two winning entries 

 (one for Gr. 7-9 and one for Gr. 10-12) 

will be selected by

 award-winning YA author
Kelley Armstrong

The Challenge:  
• Write the first page of a novel (any literary genre) set in 2169 with the protagonist dealing with an issue currently relevant  (climate change, diversity, gender, refugees, leadership, etc.) and show how it has played out 150 years from now.
• Write 300-400 words.  Be sure to give your "book" a title.

Eligible Participants:
• All Canadian residents who are full time students enrolled in Gr. 7 to 12 may enter.

Timeline:
• Submit between November 4, 2019 and November 25, 2019

Selection:
• Author Kelley Armstrong will judge the entries based on the following criteria:

• creativity;
• critical thinking; and
• quality of writing

• Shortlists of 10 entries per grade category will be selected from which the winner will be chosen.

Prizes:
• One year subscription to OwlCrate, a monthly delivery of a box of books (winner may select middle grade or young adult)
• The school library of each winner will also receive 50 YA books chosen by CBC.

Full details of this writing challenge are provided at CBC Books 

with rules and regulations available here.

Teachers' guides, writing tips, posters and more are also available at
the CBC Books website for the contest.

The First Page: Student writing challenge from CBC Books

CBC Books has created a writing challenge 

for students in Grades 7 to 12 

and 

the two winning entries 

 (one for Gr. 7-9 and one for Gr. 10-12) 

will be selected by

 award-winning YA author
Erin Bow

The Challenge:  
• Write the first page of a novel (any literary genre) set in 2167 with the protagonist dealing with an issue currently relevant  (climate change, diversity, gender, refugees, leadership, etc.) and show how it has played out 150 years from now.
• Write 300-400 words.  Be sure to give your "book" a title.

Eligible Participants:
• All Canadian residents who are full time students enrolled in Gr. 7 to 12 may enter.

Timeline:
• Submit between November 9, 2017 9 a.m. ET and November 30, 2017 6 p.m. ET

Selection:
• Author Erin Bow will judge the entries based on the following criteria:

• use of language;
• originality of subject;
• expression of a current affairs theme;
• writing style; and
• adherence to the contest's requirements.

• Shortlists of 10 entries per grade category will be selected from which the winner will be chosen.

Prizes:
• One year subscription to OwlCrate, a monthly delivery of a box of books (winner may select middle grade or young adult)
• The school library of each winner will also receive 50 YA books chosen by CBC.

Full details of this writing challenge are provided at CBC Books 

with rules and regulations available here.  

2016 CBC Shakespeare Selfie Writing Contest: April 11-29

CBC Books is once again offering its Shakespeare Selfie Challenge for students of Gr. 7-12 who are Canadian residents.  The challenge is to write a modern-day monologue or soliloquy by a Shakespearean character based on a news event that took place between April 2015 and April 2016.

The judge will be none other than one of our favourite youngCanLit authors, Kenneth Oppel, whose award-winning books include Silverwing, Airborn, Half Brother and The Boundless.

Details for the Challenge can be found at CBC Books website here including:

• a list of possible topics;
• the rules and regulations;
• discussion and videos differentiating between soliloquies and monologues;
• the link for submitting entries as of tomorrow, April 11, 2016, 

Here's what students and teachers need to know:

WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE?
Write 200-400 words as a modern-day soliloquy or monologue of one of Shakespeare's characters as he/she would think aloud to himself/herself or speak to another character about a prominent news event that took place between April 2015 and April 2016. Students can submit as many different soliloquies or monologues as they choose to write.

WHEN DOES IT TAKES PLACE?
Monday, April 11 at 9 a.m. ET to Friday, April 29 at 6 p.m. ET. 

WHO CAN ENTER?
Two separate age categories of students who are Canadian residents will be judged:

• Grades 7-9
• Grades 10-12 

WHAT CAN BE WON? 

• An iPad mini for each category's grand prize winner.
• The school library of each grand prize winner will receive 50 YA books from Canadian publishers Penguin Random House, Groundwood Books, Scholastic Canada, Raincoast Books, Great Plains Teen Fiction, HarperCollins Canada, Arsenal Pulp Press, and Simon & Schuster.

This is a fabulous opportunity for young people to get into some purposeful creative writing (something teachers are always eager to present to their students).  Don't miss out!

Morrow will soon be upon us

I prithee, do not tary

Draw paper and ink

And starteth writing!