To celebrate the launch of Story Tools, we invited students from around Australia to watch Story Sparks, our first video lesson of Series 1, and then submit a short story in response to the prompt, ‘What If ...’

We received hundreds of fabulous entries and stories from primary school students right across Australia. We had a whole lot of fun reading them too! But after much debate between the StoryBox Hub team and our esteemed judges, Story Sparks featured creators Nova Weetman and George Ivanoff, grade four student Oliver Love’s funny, wacky, and SPOOKY story, What If... I Needed Bacon?, was chosen as our winner.

Nova said that Oliver, ‘responded brilliantly to the ‘What If ...’ prompt,’ writing a ‘sharp and funny story that managed to create suspense, humour and a very satisfying narrative.’ 

And George felt that ‘the winning entry and runners-up used the ‘What If ...’ prompt to great effect and let their imaginations fly.’
Oliver’s school, Littlehampton Primary in South Australia, won a year’s subscription to Story Tools, plus a signed pack of Nova and George’s books for Oliver.

And, What If... I Needed Bacon? was shaped into a real, printed book, with illustrations by another amazing Story Tools contributor – illustrator, designer and graphic novelist, Campbell Whyte.

You can watch What If... I Needed Bacon?, read by the hilarious Em Rusciano, on the hub here (coming 23rd October!).