The Miracle at Gulls' Bay and 6 more super stories - Available now!

The 2013 Young Authors Challenge is underway and we are on the hunt for the next lot of winning stories to be published in this year’s edition of the storybook. Click here to find out more. Entries close 31st May 2013.

Baldy the seagull gets his head stuck in a tin can and his best friend is attacked by a plastic bag. What’s going on? And how does it end up as a miracle at Gull’s Bay?

There’s super reading in the other six winning stories, too. Whether it’s about wonderful news at a hospital, a life-saving dog, a friendship between a bird and a spider, two rivals preparing for a cross-country race, gossipy animals at the zoo, or the creepy danger of eating too much bacon – you’ll find it in this anthology of writing by our talented young authors.

Rugby legend, Keven Mealamu has illustrated the book and renowned children’s author, John Parker, has helped edit the stories for print. This is the fifth Barfoot & Thompson storybook Keven has illustrated for the company’s Young Authors Challenge and all funds raised, go directly to the Starship Foundation.

With over 300 entries into our competition, these are the top seven:

• Holly Fisher, Remuera Primary School - The Miracle at Gulls’ Bay
• Ronald McDonald house Class, Northern Health School - My Lucky Day
• Gifted and talented writers group, Bayfield Primary School - Rangi and Sephira
• Isabelle Cooper, Don Buck School - Slow Joe and Fast Freddy
• Room 19, Somerville Intermediate - Don’t eat bacon
• Emelie Fitness, Northcross Intermediate School - An unnamed friend
• Grace Michie, Amanda Chong and Ocean Kaa, Pukekohe Intermediate School - Rumour has it

The past four story books have helped Barfoot & Thompson raise a combined $90,000 for Starship. Through the Barfoot & Thompson Magic of Reading programme, copies of the books are also provided to Starship Children’s Hospital and Whangarei Hospital’s Children’s Ward where they are given to young patients to read and take home.