The competition is now open so, to help get those creative juices flowing, we have asked some of our past Munch Time winning authors for their tips on penning a winning entry.


TOP TIPS

Go to your local library and read a few books aimed at two to five year olds.  It helps to see what is popular and what children of this age like to read.
Try to inject some humour, children love to laugh!

Write about a subject you are passionate about, or have experience of.
Picture how your finished book would look.  Then make sure each part of your story could have an exciting picture to go with it.

Read your finished story to a child if you can, and then gauge their reaction as you read.  Do you hold their attention, how do they react at different points in the story - do they laugh?
Make sure you know the age of the child you are writing for and ensure the language is appropriate.

Add in questions, actions, rhymes – little children love repetition and showing an adult what they know.
Read our previous winning stories but do also make your story as original as you can

Draw inspiration from what you loved reading about as a child. Those subjects are likely to also entertain children today.
Remember that children may be reading your story at bedtime so don't put in anything that may make them sad or frightened.  Let them enjoy the story and make it a happy ending.