Five budding young authors from at Salcombe Primary School have been shortlisted for a writing competition.

In Class 3, Years 5 and 6 have been creating their own stories based on Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver in their literacy lessons and Salcombe Library created a writing competition to find the best ones.

Two students each from Years 5 and 6 and one from Year 4, accompanied by one of their teachers, Tony Page, visited the library for a reading of their tales in the presence of Angela Newman - Librarian, Diana Patten - chair of the Friends of Salcombe Library, Kathy Drew - volunteer librarian and Jessica Burner of Salter’s Bookshelf.

Tony Page said: “All the students impressed greatly with their literacy and reading skills and imaginative renditions of their Stone Age adventures, a topic they have been covering this term.

“I am immensely proud of all of the students’ approach to this project and after all my time in teaching I am still in awe of the creativity of the mind of a child which just needs the right stimulus to encourage the next generation of authors.”

Jesse Kershaw, of Year 4, is in the process of finishing his tale of two young boys on their quest for the magical Guardian Masks, which he was inspired to write entirely independently, as it was not a Year 4 set task.

After much deliberation, Tabitha Pearce of Year 6 was chosen to be the winner with her story, ‘The Spirit of the Eagle’. The exploits of a young girl, Ugg, and her spirit guide, a majestic eagle, make for gripping reading.

Tabitha was presented with a book token, kindly donated by Jessica Burner and Salter’s Bookshelf, and all the students received a goody bag from the library for their hard work and exemplary efforts.

Like the chapter plays of old, we eagerly await the final instalments of each of the stories which will be ready by the end of term and available at the library and on Kindle Direct Publishing.