Congratulations to the 2026 BTPM PBS KIDS Writers Contest Winners!
The annual PBS KIDS Writers Contest is an initiative designed to promote the advancement of children’s reading skills through hands-on, active learning. The Contest encourages children in grades K-3 to celebrate the power of creating stories and illustrations by submitting their own original work.
We thank everyone who submitted stories to this annual celebration of writers, illustrators, and readers everywhere! Thank you to all who supported the writers – teachers, parents, caregivers, families, and friends! Congratulations to the young writers listed below, as their stories were chosen by our judges as outstanding in each age group. We invite you to read each of the stories linked below.
Meet the Young Authors
(click on the links to read the stories)
Winning Stories | Kindergarten
First Place: Theodore C. | A Trip to Outer Space
Second Place: Brynlee S. | Beautiful Books
Third Place: Atlas A. | Rocky Got Stuck
Honorable Mention: Benjamin H. | Bin the Builder
Winning Stories | First Grade
First Place: Juliette M. | My Story: Heart and Brain
Second Place: Nicholas W. | The Adventures of Nicholas…I Mean Nicholois Slovaskovich
Third Place: Luna B. | Mr. Moo Chops and the Missing Remote
Honorable Mention: Ellery B. | If Everything Was Alive!
Winning Stories | Second Grade
First Place: Amrita C. | The Ladybug with 7 Spots
Second Place: Emma B. | The Crazy Cruise
Third Place: Vaidehi G. | The Secret Visitor in the Nature Princess's Garden
Honorable Mention: Nova M. | LOVE
Winning Stories | Third Grade
First Place: Avonlea C. | Luke Learns a Lesson
Second Place: Celine L. | Save the Bird!
Third Place: Vivian B. | A Feathery Friend
Honorable Mention: Nola S. | A Squirrely Bruschetta Adventure
The 2026 Writers Contest has been supported by
