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Young writers send us an original story in Arabic or English. The winning stories are published in a beautifully illustrated bilingual book.

Torba Children's Short Story Competition 2027

Entries are judged within your own age group. The youngest writers are never up against the oldest. One entry per child, in the language you love to write in. Each entry can be up to 300, 800 or 1,500 words depending on the age category.

Up to 300 words. A grown-up may type your words for you.

Up to 800 words. Real or imagined, funny or fearless. Any story goes.

Up to 1,500 words. Make us laugh, gasp, or think.

The story must be entirely your original work. Helpers may type, but the words are yours, no AI is to be used.

Set it in your neighbourhood or on the far side of the moon.

A panel of authors, illustrators and booksellers reads every entry, looking for a story told in your own voice.

Winning and highly commended stories are published in an illustrated bilingual anthology. Every published writer will be invited to join us for an awards afternoon at Torba Market, Education City.

Type your story into the form below, or attach as a file or photo of the handwritten page. Entries are accepted online only. We will email a confirmation straight away.

You can enter your whole class. Submit each pupil's story through the form above, one entry per child, using the school's email address. There is no limit on how many entries a school sends.

The competition is run by Torba Market, with friends who care as much about young writers as we do: reading and judging the entries, printing the anthology and handing out the prizes.

Open to children aged 6–12 on 31 March 2027. One entry per child; the judges' decision is final. Copyright in each story stays with its young author. Personal information is used only to run the competition and contact winners, and is never shared or used for anything else. Keep a copy of your story, as we can't send entries back.

Write to us at {contact_email}, or ask one of our Torba staff members at Torba Market, Education City. We're always happy to talk about your story entries.

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Torba Children's Short Story Competition 2027