The Mum’s Mail ‘My Story’ Creative Writing Competition has come to an outstanding end, with over 350 entries received! Through this competition, we aimed to nurture creativity in children, and we are so pleased that so many schools, parents and teachers encouraged their children to enter.

Special thanks go to these schools for wholeheartedly supporting this creative written competition and encouraging all their learners to get creative: Our Lady of Fatima (DBN), Berea West Preparatory (DBN), Westville Senior Primary School (DBN), Glenwood Prep School (DBN), Clarendon Primary School (PMB), Deccan Road Primary School (PMB) and The Wykeham Collegiate (PMB).

The winners are as follows:

Grade 1-3 category:

Phillipa Ratcliffe in Grade 3 at Chelsea Preparatory School with her story titled “The Special Egg”.

Grade 4-7 Category:

Lwazi Ndlovu in Grade 4 at Durban Primary School with her story titled “Never Give Up”.

 Each winner’s school will receive 100 books from Priddy Books, 50 for their own school library and 50 to donate to their chosen disadvantaged school, and all four winning schools will win a reading corner ‘make over’ arranged by @doing_life_with_us. All four winning schools will also receive a visit from ECR Breakfast Show Host Darren Maule, who will read the winning story to the school children.

Each winner’s story and profile will be published in Mum’s Mail magazine and their story will be turned into an illustrated book by Kidsbookclub.co.za (illustrated by Cristy Zinn of Looma Illustrations) and 10 copies gifted to the winner, plus a copy sent out to all their subscribers.

Reading Corner Makeover

Each winner’s school will receive a fantastic and fun reading corner ‘makeover’ for their library plus they will also be able to nominate a disadvantaged school to receive the same reading corner ‘makeover’.

The makeover has been arranged by Kirsten Coates from @doing_life_with_us who has pulled together beautiful items worth over R5000 each corner, from our generous sponsors, whose details are below.

Each school’s makeover will consist of the following items:

• Large reading cushions sponsored by Kidlet Collection
• 3 x Bookshelves per reading corner sponsored by Ella and Scarlett Creations
• A decorative rug or play mat sponsored by Kids Original from Rugs Original
• Stylish hanging canopy sponsored by Kids Emporium Umhlanga
• Vinyl wallpaper prints or backdrops and interactive poster sponsored by FOMO
• Felt board with 1 set each of themed felt story pieces in a drawstring fabric bag sponsored by Zoe Bird
• Wooden letter boards sponsored by Three Little Monkeys

 Sponsors

We want to thank our generous main sponsors, without whom this competition would not have been possible: Kidsbookclub.co.za, Cristy Zinn, Priddy Books, Darren Maule and microblogger Kirsten Coates. Thank you also to our Library Corner ‘Make-Over’ item sponsors; Three Little Monkeys, Zoe Bird, FOMO Print, Kids Emporium Umhlanga, Kids Original, Ella and Scarlett Creations and Kidlet Collection.

Judges

Thanks also to the judges who gave of their valuable time. The stories were read and judged by teachers at Kip McGrath Bluff and Umhlanga who narrowed the list down to 20 finalists, and Kidsbookclub.co.za who chose the overall winners. The judges based their decision on the following criteria: creativity, enjoyment, storyline, characterisation and language. The stories had to be an original piece of fiction with fictional or real-life characters in a completely made-up story and had to adhere to the rules of the competition.

Final thanks go to Penny Katz Photography for sponsoring her time involved in capturing this journey of the Mum’s Mail ‘My Story’ Creative Writing Competition.

Here are the 10 finalists in each category:

Grade 1-3 Category

• Shreya Naidoo, Grade 1, Erica Primary School – My Super Hero is my Mum
• Aurya Rodrigues, Grade 1, Maris Stella School – The Whale and the Snail
• David Cason, Grade 1 – Super Saurus
• Keamogetswe Mathinya, Grade 2, Northlands Primary School – the Three Enchanted Animals
• Hannah Mitha, Grade 3, Berea West Preparatory School – Candy Land
• Saudah Soomar, Grade 3, Berea West Prepratory Schoool – Ben’s Surprise
• Kaivalya Grade 3, Deccan Road Primary School – A Witch that Went to School
• Asia Wegerle, grade 3, Our Lady of Fatima – Enough Love
• Phillipa Ratcliffe, Grade 3, Chelsea Preparatory School – The Special Egg

Grade 4-7 Category

• Lwazi Ndlovu, Gr4, Durban Primary School – Never Give Up
• Yuvanka Calista Pillay, Grade 4, Maris Stella – The Runaway Nose
• Divya Govender, Grade 4, Deccan Road Primary School – Sunita Sharma Dream
• Thrishan Naidoo, Grade 5, Deccan Road Primary School – The Wolf Who Became Tiny
• Jazmine Reddy, Grade 6, Deccan Road Primary School – The Strangers
• Samkelo Ndlovu, Grade 6, Deccan Road Primary School – The Lonely Prince
• Sharika Odayan, Grade 6,  Clarendon Primary School – A Dark Mind
• Azrayel Naidoo, Grade 7, Deccan Road Primary – To the Grave
• Georgina Loder, Grade 7, Chelsea Preparatory School – Never Trust the Colour Purple
• Brogan Anthony, Grade 7, Westville Senior Primary School – A Future is Carved

‘My Story’ Winners’ stories

WINNER GRADE 4-7

Entrants Name: Lwazi Ndlovu – Grade: 4C

School: Durban Primary School

Story Title: Never Give Up

It was a beautiful Saturday morning, the sun was shining bright. Lungelo, a grade seven learner in Excellence Primary School, was helping his mother and his elder sister, Mbali to pack stock in his mother’s Tuck Shop. Lungelo’s father was a bus driver and passed away when Lungelo was still a baby.

Mhh! what a beautiful day, it gives hope for the future. “Mommy, one day we’ll be packing stock in our big store having our brand like Woolworths. Mommy laughed this out, but Lungelo said “Never Give Up”, everything big starts small. He continued “If you believe, you’ll own it”. Imagine it “Welcome to L & M Shopping Experience”. Mbali said “LOL” dream on boy.

Lungelo was smart and full of big dreams. Although being the youngest, he felt this responsibility to take care of his family because his father was no more. His mother’s Tuck shop was dear to him and strongly believed it’s going to grow into a big store in the future. Lungelo’s mom and Mbali often Laughed at his dreams. Like in the Tuck Shop wall he’s written “L & M Shopping Experience – The Exceptional’”

In school Lungelo was a brilliant learner but most undermined him because of his poor background. The three girls in Lungelo’s class, Zama, Thando and Gugulethu called themselves “The Glamour Girls” who associate with rich and famous. On the other hand there were three boys, Kwanele, Samkelo and Siseko, “The Cool Big Three.” who were stylish and envied by the school. These groups were mean to Lungelo and regarded him as a nobody.

Lungelo’s dream of becoming a businessman was laughed at by The Glamour Girls and The Cool Big Three. Lungelo believed it doesn’t matter where you come from but what matters is where you’re going to. “I’m going to be successful, I know and I believe”, said Lungelo. Kwanele liked Lungelo’s positive attitude. He began spending time with him to share into his wisdom.

One day Lungelo was involved in a terrible car accident which left him paralysed by the waist down. He had to use the wheelchair. His mom and Mbali were devastated and lost all hopes.

Lungelo fought by all means to adjust to his new life. His peers in school isolated him but his friend Kwanele helped him. I know and I believe I’ll walk again. “I’m going to be successful” said Lungelo. He continued excelling in his studies. Being in the wheelchair did not make him less of a learner.

A few years later…

One Friday morning a company owner was hiring for his company. As he walked out to call the next person, someone screamed, No! No! No! it can’t be Lungelo. As he turned, guess what, The Glamour Girls and two of The Cool Big Three were in the queue.

THE END

WINNER GRADE 1-3

Entrants Name: Phillipa Ratcliffe – Grade: 3

School: Chelsea Preparatory School

Story Title: The Special Egg

Hello my name is Hammy hamster, I am going to tell you a funny story.

One day some time around April my old friend Squibbles and I were walking in the sunny garden when we saw a yellow, pink and blue egg. It was almost as big as me. We could not see a nest so we took it home. We watched the egg for hours and hours but nothing happened. It was such a hot day so we had chocolate ice-cream sundaes. Then the egg slowly started to roll off the table so I chased after it. Squibbles copied me and ran after it to. It rolled down the stairs and into the fat cats basket. The cat was asleep like a baby (I like to call her kitty because everyone always says: your’e such a pretty kitty or good kitty) How are we going to get the egg with out waking kitty up I whispered to Squibbles. I don’t know he said. Let’s tip-toe slowly over to her and replace it with that teddy bear I said to Squibbles. Okay! As we were tip-toeing Kitty woke up?! What are you doing HERE!! Kitty said angrily. Www-weee jj-just want to get our egg back: said Squibbles. Kitty looked confused? What egg?! That pink, yellow and blue one. I said. Well you better start running! growled Kitty.

We grabbed the egg and pushed it up the stairs. It was so heavy Finally we got up the stairs. Squibbles jumped up onto the egg. He ran on top of the egg for a few moments. When the egg stopped rolling Squibbles fell off on top of me. Oow! That hurt!! Just then Kitty jumped on the egg and said: I got ya! But before you could say chocolate Twixxy the dog scared away Kitty. Thank you. Your’e welcome said Twixxy. Now lets go back to the kitchen. When we got there the egg looked like it was going to hatch. Quickly rap the egg in a towel. We watched the egg for a while but nothing happened.

We saw something silver peeling off? whats happening to the egg? Squibbles said. I THINK I KNOW ..I said. IT’S A CHOCOLATE EGG!!!!! That night Squibbles,Twixxy and I had the delicious egg for our desert. When I went to bed my tummy was full.I thought to my self THAT WAS SUCH AN EXCITING DAY !!!!but I wish the egg was a real one. I can’t wait for another day like this one.

THE END

NB: Stories are reproduced exactly as originally written.