Contests

New Story Contest: Magical

There are some magical, mysterious goings on in this Cricket. Floating islands in the sky. A vegetable soup with a crazy secret power. A golden cherry seed that can magically feed hungry dragons. And who knows what Aunt Maud is cooking up in her room that’s causing green light and smoke to escape through her door? For this month’s contest, everybuggy would like to read your best story about something magical.

Maybe you will write about an ordinary object that gives you magical powers—like making you invisible or able to fly—or discovering a book of magic inside an old box or chest. Perhaps you’ll write about finding a magical creature in your backyard, like a dragon or a unicorn or a creature from mythology. You could write about a weirdly magical day at school, or a school of magic, or a new teacher who seems to have weird powers. How would you use your magical power to help your family or friends?

Whether you write about a spell-casting wizard, a magical door in your attic that opens to a hidden treasure, or discovering that your parakeet can foretell the future, everybuggy in Cricket Country will be waving their wands around the mailbox and chanting “Open, sesame!” as they conjure your best story about something magical —of 350 words or less, please—to appear out of the mist.

  • (Show Rules)
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    1. Your contest entry must be your very own original work. Ideas and words should not be copied.

    2. Your entry must be signed by your parent or guardian, stating that it is your own work, that no help was given, and that Cricket has permission to publish it in the magazine and on our website. 

    3. Be sure to include your name, age, and full address on your entry.

    4. Only one entry per person, please.

    5. If you want your work returned, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for each entry.

    6. Your entry must be received by September 25, 2021.

    7. Send entries to Cricket League, P.O. Box 300, Peru, IL 61354. (No faxes or email submissions, please!)

    8. We will publish winning entries in the January 2022 issue and on the Cricket website.