Derbyshire Mini Saga Winners Announced!

Winners of the Derbyshire Literature Festival Mini-Mobile Library saga writing competition announced

As part of this year’s Derbyshire Literature Festival we ran a Mini-Mobile library saga writing competition. The competition was very successful with over 100 entries received from all over the country.  There were even a couple of international entrants. The idea of the Mobile Library as a setting for a mini-saga really captured people’s imaginations and inspired them to put pen to paper.Romance and crime were the most popular topics for stories.  The wrioter had to creat4e a story in exactly 50 words. Here are the mini sagas of all the winners and runners up. Enjoy!

The mobile library

“Hello”, said the man,
“Morning”, said the woman.
“Could you direct me to the thrillers?”
“There”.
He noticed them, ahead, feeling quite foolish. He also noticed the woman’s eyes.
“I’m in love”, he thought. The woman didn’t think she was in love. She thought she was in a mobile library.

Catherine Brown
Age 14
Whaley Bridge

Chapel-en-le-Frith High School

Winner: 12-16 years category

“Commotion”

I got on the library bus,
as the engine was cooling down.
Went to the desk,
There stood a man with a frown.
He needed a rest,
demanded a break.
He started tantruming,
What a scene did he make.
He started stomping up and down,
and started chanting GORDON BROWN……

Emily Hill
Age 11 years
Alfreton

Mortimer Wilson Secondary School

Winner: 8-11 years category

Summer Holiday Reading

“Any summer holiday reading?” Sophie asks.
“At the back,” says the mobile library driver.
Sophie moves down the van and opens the back doors. She steps down
 on to the golden sands, lies on a beach towel and reads The Island,
with the blue Mediterranean sea lapping gently nearby.


Gillian Lowe
Adult
Hull

Runner up:  Adults category

Little black book

Nobody could understand what had made the usually calm mobile librarian suddenly turn and viciously murder the innocent girl, with a staple gun, least of all PC Foster. He, like many before him, overlooked the little black book on the shelf behind the counter, waiting to claim its next victim.

JJ Fox
Age 15
Long Eaton

Runner up:  12-16 years category

“Too Long to Wait”

Lizzie was waiting to borrow a new book from the mobile library. Mum had said she would buy it Lizzie for Christmas.
Too long to wait for Lizzie.
Finally the mobile library arrived.
Excitedly Lizzie climbed on board.
“Sorry” the librarian said “It’s not available this week”
“Aaaaaaaagh!” Lizzie screamed.


Laura Peet
Age 11
Chesterfield

Highfield Hall Primary School

Runner up:  8-11 years category

The Last Chapter

On Tuesdays, Ted could escape to the mobile library for a break. He returned the Ruth Rendell. ‘ Anything on poisons?’ he asked. He’d meant to say wild flowers or herbs. Later, in the DIY section, he studied patio laying. The librarian eyed him warily. ‘A surprise for Doris’ he said.


Mrs Jan Halstead
Adult
Milton Keynes

Runner up:  Adults category

Olive's adventure

Jas and Pod went to the beach to see the world. They got on a boat because they wanted to see the world go by. There was an earthquake. BANG goes the pots and pans. "Help! I am pregnant". I woke up suddenly in the mobile library. We were moving...

 
Olive Turner
Age: 7

Winner:  7 years and under category

Wirksworth C of E Infants

The Hasland Van

Three o’clock ran out of school,
To the mobile library it’s really cool,
Barry and Rose are always there,
They are such a helpful pair,
Books for homework, books to read,
They have all the help I need,
They always greet you with a smile,
I stay a while.


Robert Yates
Age 12
Hasland

Hasland Hall Community School

Runner up:  12-16 years category

The Passengers

Mr Darcy cleared his throat as the engine stopped. Tracy Beaker giggled, making Miss Marple frown. The other passengers shuffled nervously. Would this be a round trip or a one way excursion?
But when the door opened, the mobile library’s first visitor bypassed fiction, taking Gordon Ramsay home to dinner.


Suzan Lindsay Randle
Adult
London

Winner:  Adults category

Silence Please!

Bang! A gunshot ricocheted off the mobile library’s back wall, piercing a hole in the Encyclopedia, narrowly missing Mrs Jones (the librarian). “Oh my word!” she exclaimed, “What’s that?”
Boom! Another bullet echoed through the confined space, hitting Danny on the head. “Arrgh!” he moaned and slumped onto the floor.


Voirrey Baker
Age 10
Glossop

Charlesworth Primary School

Runner up:  8-11 years category