Launching the Creative Writing Advent Calendar & Announcing the Pebble Winner
- carolineboxall
- 22 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Exciting News! Winner Revealed and a
FREE Christmas Writing Calendar
I’m delighted to share two exciting updates: the launch of a December creative challenge and the announcement of some truly inspiring young writers.
According to The National Literacy Trust, Children and young people’s enjoyment of writing and daily writing habits are at crisis point - which is why I'm...
...launching the FREE Creative Writing Advent Calendar!
Today, Monday, December 1st, I'm releasing my brand-new Creative Writing Advent Calendar, a completely free daily writing challenge for young people (up to age 18).
If you know a child who might enjoy a fun, screen-free activity this December, please do share this with them.
December can be a whirlwind of school events, tired children, and extra screen time. My hope is that this Advent Calendar will offer a joyful, imaginative alternative - a daily spark of creativity.
What’s Inside?
Each day includes:
A simple, manageable step
A prompt or idea to build their story
Encouragement to keep going
And even a dedicated editing day, because polishing a story is part of the magic!
My long-term dream is to publish a brand-new short story anthology in
Christmas 2026, featuring the most inspiring Advent Calendar stories.
A real, exciting goal for young writers to aim for.
I'm excited to announce that Amazon has chosen little old me (well, one of my books) as one of their FREE AMAZON PRIME novels this month, my middle-grade novel The Runaway Children of Chennai is currently FREE to read with Amazon Prime - an exciting, moving story inspired by real issues faced by vulnerable children in India.
"Rish and Mariam's heart-breaking tale is woven from the real lives of thousands of Indian street children. Shocking and inspiring, theirs is a story that needs to be read." David Maidment, Founder of Railway Children Charity.
The Pebble Challenge at the Oxford Indie Book Fair
At the recent Oxford Indie Book Fair, I set a simple challenge: choose a pebble, imagine what might be happening inside it, and write the story.
I wasn’t prepared for what happened next.
Children came from every corner of the hall - some shy, some curious, some reluctantly pulled over by their parents - and the creativity that unfolded was astonishing.
Here are a few moments I’ll never forget:
A boy who “doesn’t like writing” sat down at my table and didn’t move for twenty minutes. His dad kept whispering, “This has never happened before.”
Two children whose first language isn’t English took the challenge with huge determination and produced stories filled with imagination and heart.
A boy glued to his phone at the next table put it down the instant my daughter offered him a clipboard. He then wrote for half an hour, completely absorbed.
A 14-year-old girl, looking thoroughly unenthusiastic earlier, returned half an hour later to apologise for her “poor attempt.” It was anything but - her story was thoughtful, expressive, and deeply impressive.
And two sisters, sitting quietly together, each creating their own individual worlds on the page - a moment of peaceful creativity in the middle of a busy fair.
These small scenes reminded me why creative writing matters so deeply. Children want to express themselves - they just need space, encouragement, and an invitation.
Why Creative Writing Matters
The Pebble Challenge reaffirmed something I see again and again:
Creative writing builds skills that stay with children for life:
Imagination
Communication
Empathy
Mental well-being
Academic confidence
Resilience
A sense of accomplishment
Writing gives children a voice - and sometimes, even a pebble is enough to unlock it.
And the winner is...
From more than 40 entries - each one a miniature world imagined inside a pebble - I am thrilled to announce one overall winner and ten highly commended writers.
These young authors showed extraordinary creativity, determination, and flair. Choosing was no easy task, but one story shone with rhythm, imagery, and a touch of magic.
Highly Commended Writers: Yara • Dylan • Freya • Jessie • Du Zhi • Leo • Diya • Nicholas • Romeo • Faisal
And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for…
The Winning Pebble Story
Written by Hibah, age 8 - a story full of drama, wonder, and heart. Hibah wrote her piece in just twenty minutes, with beautiful handwriting and a powerful imagination.
The Pebble
Inside the pebble was a little forest with a waterfall. A flowing, rushing waterfall. It had a secret. Walk through it, and that's all you had to do to find it out!
On the other side lived unspoken creatures and...well, nothing. But this meant all these living things weren't very happy. There was something missing from their lives. Something amazing!
Then something amazing did happen. A huge spotlight appeared from nowhere. At first, they were all scared, but don't worry, they started to calm down. Out came a beautiful fairy with golden hair and a powerful voice.
"Oh little creatures, please don't be afraid,” she said to them all. “I'm here to be a friend to you all."
Congratulations Hibah! I’ll be in touch shortly about your prize.
Join My Annual International Short Story Competition
If your child enjoyed the Pebble Challenge - or if you know a young writer - I’d love to see their work in my Annual International Short Story Competition.
It’s a wonderful opportunity for:
sustained writing development
building confidence
and the possibility of being published in a real book
Final Question
Did the winning story inspire you?
Please share which part you loved most in the comments!
And if you know a parent or teacher who’d appreciate a screen-free challenge this December, please do pass this post along.
Q & A
Q: What age is the Creative Writing Advent Calendar for?
Ages 4–18, with prompts simple enough for younger writers and flexible enough for teens.
Q: Is the Advent Calendar free to download?
Yes - completely free for families, schools, and libraries.
Q: Can my child submit their finished story?
Yes! Full details on how to take part in the Christmas 2026 anthology are on the Advent Calendar page.
About Caroline
Caroline is a mum of five, teacher, author of the Ember Enigma series, The Runaway Children Series, Crazy Creatives and founder of the International Short Story Competition.
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