LIMERICK primary and secondary school students are invited to register for the 2008 World Book Day Short Story Competition, which has an October 3 closing date.

Once registered, students have until November 14 to enter their story and illustration to be in with a chance of having their work published in one of two books featuring 10 collected winners.

Given a first line from authors including Julia Donaldson, Bear Grylls, Steve Cole, Cathy Cassidy and Stewart Ross, school children are being asked to write their own short story and the anthologies will be published for World Book Day, March 5. 

This time, all schools must register to enter the competition by October 3 by logging onto www.worldbookday.com or www.evansbooks.co.uk.

Once registered, one of six ‘first lines’ will be emailed to entrants and schools can enter no more than 10 stories and drawings in total.  

The compet

World Book Day promotes the enjoyment of books and reading and this new initiative gives children the chance to experience being authors and illustrators themselves.ition is open to children in two different age groups; primary (5-11 years) and secondary (12-18 years).

Stories may be written by one, two or even groups of children, and should be of between 500—800 words for primary school students and 1000—1200 words for secondary school students.