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Congratulations Winners! 2021 Writers and Illustrators Contest - Celebrate the Outdoors

We are pleased to announce our 2021 winners and would like to congratulate them on their accomplishments!

More children than ever before submitted stories in honor of the 20th anniversary of the PBS KIDS Utah Writers & Illustrators Contest. 450 children from around the state sent in their best illustrated stories on the theme “Celebrate the Great Outdoors.”

The contest strives to foster creativity and literacy in young Utah artists and writers. Children were encouraged to find inspiration for their story by exploring the natural world, from backyard birdfeeders, to nature walks, to hiking and camping with their families.

Thank you to everyone who submitted a story! PBS KIDS Utah celebrates all of the talented Utah children who entered this year’s contest.

Kindergarten Winners

Book cover for Awake by Sam

First Place

"Awake"

by Sam

Book cover for Victoria's story, image has handpainted rainbow and a red heart

Second Place

"Nature Makes Me Happy"

by Victoria

Book cover for The Numbers Go Camping by Wake, pencil lines and cute art along top

Third Place

"The Numbers Go Camping"

by Wake

First Grade Winners

Black text saying HOW TO CATCH A CLOUD BY LEIF

First Place

"How to Catch a Cloud"

by Leif

Hand drawn book cover for Rainbow Cave, drawing of small girl in dress and flag decoration above her

Second Place

"Rainbow Cave"

by Ashlynn

Cute animal drawing with blue background and title Ben's Adventure

Third Place

"Ben's Adventure"

by Tucker

Second Grade Winners

Jackson's bookcover, showing water with brown rocklike objects above and a yellow sun

First Place

"A Different Kind of Fishing Trip"

by Jackson

Bookcover handrawn by Lukas, showing a bear looking up at a small boy hanging from a tree branch to be out of reach

Second Place

"Krue and the Friendly Bear"

by Lukas

Photo of two stuffed animags, a koala and a monkey, laying amongst tree greenery

Third Place

"Wild Friendship"

by Harlee

Third Grade Winners

Handrawn and colorful trees along a waterway, the trees are dropping leaves

First Place

"Celebrate the Colors of the Great Outdoors"

by Anna

Hand drawn eyes and beak of an owl, with the title The Lone Owl on book cover

Second Place

"The Lone Owl"

by Kara

Book cover with hand drawn campfire with yellow, orange, and red flames

Third Place

"The Great Outdoors"

by Makai

Fourth Grade Winners

Simple drawing of flower, sun, and leaf with penciled in title Poems for the Seasons

First Place

"Poems for the Seasons"

by Kate

Colorful drawing of blue bird head with orange beak, very cute, and title How the Water Birds Got Their Arrows

Second Place

"How the Water Birds Got Their Arrows"

by Zaria

Book cover with text only that says YOU ARE THE COOLEST KATYDID by Flynn

Third Place

"You are the Coolest Katydid"

by Flynn

Fifth Grade Winners

Colorful drawing of 2 boys in tent, a small deer under an evergreen tree, and a river with rocks and a tree stump along the shore

First Place

"A Camping Adventure"

by Frances

Young girl with long black hair with colorful body with pastoral landscapes overlaid on top of body, sitting by a colorless window and colorless view, she looks sad

Second Place

"Scared"

by Alina

hand drawn title Memories of the Dust, Dust is larger font and brown

Third Place

"Memories of the Dust"

by Belle

Sixth Grade Winners

Beautiful colorful book cover with two dragons looking at eachother, a pile of jewels, and a forest with Opal & Stone title

First Place

"Opal & Stone"

by Reagan

A cute white bunny standing up puts his arms around a standing hedgehog who is smiling

Second Place

"The Forest Bake-Off"

by Madison

Black mountain with a colorful sun and blue sky and 3 black birds in the distance

Third Place

"Adventure on Mt. Perenna"

by Brinlee