Storybook Writing Competition

Your Stories

• Secret Spud

  Karen TolhurstAged 52

  He was exhausted, and felt ready to hit the sack, but now was not the time to veg out. Eddy had mingled with the ordinary potatoes to keep his disguise, had overslept and was now feeling very weary and just a little green from having to negotiate the perilous journey, in an effort to get back to HQ on time, and time was of the essence, he knew that.
  A specialist in his field, It was all in a days work for Eddy, danger was his business and he was on a mission. Today though, his instincts had failed him, he was on unfamiliar territory and had lost his sense of direction, quite simply, he was one lost potato.
  Eddy was no ordinary potato, he was a member of an elite crop - S.P.U.D.S. the  Special Potato United Defense Squad. The guys back at base would be getting worried, and Eddy wanted to avoid mash hysteria, he knew by now a rescue mission would already be underway.
  Having skillfully gained entry into the building, Eddy knew he had reached a safe place. These guys were some of the best, and would surely be able to help him. It said as much on the notice on the desk. Time was running out, he was no couch potato and could wait no longer, he needed assistance fast. Using his last reserves of energy, he had climbed up to reach the phone and called for help. Immediately the Top people took control, Eddy was in safe hands now, and for the first time that day, he could relax.
  Within minutes, they were there for him, all four of them. The two largest figures stood in the doorway. 'Eddy!' boomed the big potato in the leathery jacket, it was his father, and Eddy knew he was in for a right roasting. His little sisters Anya and Charlotte giggled in the background while his mother rushed over and threw her arms around him 'Oh Eddy, you silly spud, where have you been? We've been worried sick about you. How many times have we told you not to wander from the plot!'
  'Sorry mum,' whimpered Eddy 'I was just playing and lost track of time and.....
  'That's the trouble with you Eddy,' interrupted his father 'always losing the plot! Now no more of your excuses son, we know what a wild imagination you've got, but you did the right thing and we're proud of you, so let's get home. We're having a party for Granddads birthday today, and we've invited the new potatoes on the plot'
  'You should have been home over an hour ago' sighed his mother 'Your poor grandparents have nearly gone to seed waiting for you!'
  Eddy wasn't listening now. New potatoes on the plot eh? Very suspicious, it would need investigating. Eddy was already on to it, this was a mission for S.P.U.D.S.
  

• A Potato's Dream

  Jasmine ChinAged 11

  Yummy the potato sighed. He did not know how to use the hidgy-piddle thing, as he called the telephone. He sat on it and soon fell asleep.
  
  "Hello, yes. I would like to speak to Miss Babara please. Its an emergency." Yummy rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "Excuse me. Please put me down. Thank you." He said to the woman in a dignified manner. The woman seemed to understand him. She put him down and said,"Oh my! I have been holding a potato, when I should have been holding the telephone."
  
  The woman was not at all shocked. She slipped him in to her great big handbag and walked into the editor's office. Yummy was glad to finally have a place to sleep after walking a long way.
  
  "Hiya! I'm Melody." another potato's voice woke him up. He was surprised to see a girl potato's face peering at him. "I'm..Yu..mmy." Yummy managed to utter. He stood up and at once he fell in love with the beautiful young potato. Yummy was stunned at the sassy way Melody spoke. They were very happy together and were married. Melody introduced Yummy to a world of potatoes.
  
  Yummy was about to bite into potato-ice-cream when he was mashed up. He suddenly woke up and found that he was the editor's lunch. The editor had just finished writing 'The adventures of Potato' and wanted to have lunch. "So much for dreaming" Yummy mumbled under his breath.

• The Most Important Vegetable In The World

  Philippa RaeAged 46

  
  Potato listened into the receiver and then he heard a voice. “Hello” ,he said. “This is Potato here. I saw your ad in the paper. You are collecting stories for a new book about life changing moments. Well I have one for you.
  “Well Mr Potato what it is about?” said the voice.
  “It’s how I changed and became a nicer person….
  “Okay Mr Potato please go right ahead and tell us about it,” said the voice at the other end. And so Potato began….
  “One day us vegetables on the market stall were having a discussion. We were trying to decide who was the most important vegetable in the world…
  Carrot thought he was. “Well I think I’m simply the best. I’m nice and crunchy, full of vitamin C and good for your eyesight. And not a bad looking vegetable either!” He said admiring himself.
  
  “What about me then,”I said. “I might not be so hot in the looks department but I’m a vegetable that you can rely on. You can do so many things with me – chipped, baked, boiled, roasted and I’m always nice and filling!”
  I was very proud of all my talents and thought it pretty obvious that no other vegetable would come close!
  
  Cabbage who had been listening intently to our veggie chatter joined in.
  
  “Well my vegetable friends, “ he said, “I agree. Carrot, you are indeed a splendid looking fellow with your wonderful orange coat. And you Potato are indeed multi talented but surely I must rank as the most important vegetable. Its always important to eat your greens you know. A million caterpillars can’t be wrong.”
  
  
  Immediately all the other vegetables protested at this and started talking. Beetroot was so indignant that he went even redder than usual. Corn on the Cob covered his ears and Lettuce flapped his leaves. The only vegetable who said nothing was the Onion. And then suddenly he spoke up.
  
  “Well, what do you think about me then,” Onion said.
  
  “You?” said Parsnip and Swede together
  
  “Yes, me.” said Onion.
  
  “You smell,” I said, “You make people cry. And your jacket is dusty brown.”
  
  “Oh,”said Onion and a tear dripped down his cheek.
  
  I felt really bad when I saw I had upset him and he was sitting alone in the corner but I wanted to impress all my other friends and besides Onion was a bit of an outsider. We soon got bored talking about it and started to talk about something else.
  
  Just then suddenly a delivery truck pulled up with some more supplies. Us veggies were quite surprised because usually deliveries come on a Monday and that day it was Thursday.
  
  Reggie the market stall owner took the delivery and said.
  “Thanks for these herbs. It’s a new line I have decided to sell. Everyone these days is asking for fresh herbs.”
  “What are herbs?” I asked Carrot. “Are they vegetables?”
  
  “Well sort of, “ said Carrot “but people don’t usually eat them on their own. They get used for adding flavour to food in cooking. For example that one there with the curled leaved one is Parsley and that one is called a Bay leaf.
  
  Reggie took the rest of the other herbs out of the their boxes and put them into the market stall.
  
  Immediately we were curious about our new lodgers.
  
  “Who are you?” said Swede to a bunch of thin green leaves with small white bulbs.
  
  “We are Chives,” they choroused. “And we are herbs.”
  
  “You look a bit like Onion only much smaller,” said Carrot.
  
  “That’s right,” said Chives, “And we taste and smell a bit like him too.”
  
  “Phew,” I said and laughed. “Surely one vegetable in the rack that pongs is enough!”
  
  “What do you mean a vegetable that pongs?” said a small brown bumpy bulb to me indigantly. “If you think that Onion and Chives smell then you should take a whiff of me I positively reek.”
  
  I took a deep breathe in and sure enough he stank! “Who are you then.” I asked.
  
  “I am Garlic. Without me many dishes and food would be tasteless and boring. It’s my job just like Onion and Chives to add flavour to things. Have you not heard about Garlic Bread? Or what about Garlic Mushrooms.” He said glaring at the fungi on the top rack. “And Potato have you never heard of Garlic Mashed Potatos?”
  
  “Oh,” said we all said together and I didn’t feel very good.
  
  But Garlic hadn’t finished and he continued. “Remember no one vegetable is more important than another. Every vegetable has something good about them for different reasons. Take Onion for example. Underneath his dry dusty brown jacket he is a nice crunchy white. Where would Lettuce and Tomato be without Onion in a salad? How would Shepherd’s Pie taste without him? And who can forget the taste of Onion Bajhais in Indian cooking.”
  
  Potato, Carrot and all the other vegetables thought for a moment.
  
  “I have been a bit mean to Onion,” I realsied.” And after all where would Cheese and Onion crisps be without him.”
  
  “Exactly,” said Garlic.”But then where would he be without you Potato. Teamwork my dear Potato, teamwork.”
  
  I nodded and from that day I never teased Onion again or boasted. Instead I felt proud that I had such important friends.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Tatty

  Michele WestlakeAged 46

  When Tatty the potato came to life on the fruit and vegetable stall at the market, he knew at once that he was too good to end up on someone's dinner plate.
  None of the other potatos were alive like him, they just lay there waiting to be baked, roasted or even worse mashed! Tatty the living potato was special and he wanted the world to know, so it was time to leave the market before somebody bought him.
  After escaping from the market without being seen, Tatty had wandered around until he found himself standing outside Top That Publishing. He waited until someone opened the door and then nipped inside. Once inside he climbed up onto the desk at reception and looked around, there was no one about at the moment. Tatty wondered if he should use the phone and call someone or leave a note on the desk and come back later?
  Tatty decided he would wait a bit longer, everyone was probably taking a coffee break and so he climbed down onto a settee nearby and after a few minutes he fell asleep. He dreamt that Top That Publishing were so amazed to see a living potato that they wrote a book all about him with a picture of him on the front cover. The book became a best seller and people from all over the world came to meet him.
  A woman's voice woke Tatty up, ''Someone has left a potato out here on the settee!'' She said. Picking Tatty up the woman carried him over to a bin behind the reception desk and tossed him into it! Tatty rolled to the bottom of the bin and found himself lying next to an apple core and a paper clip. The bin was full of paper and Tatty had a job to climb through it to reach the top. The editor of Top That Publishing saw Tatty climbing out of the bin and gasped in amazement. Lifting Tatty up off the floor she sat him down on her desk and began to ask him lots of questions.
  Tatty told the editor he was the only living potato in the world and he agreed to sell Top That Publishing his life story. Soon Tatty had his own book published with a picture of him on the front cover and people came from all over the world to meet him.
  Not only is Tatty the only living potato in the world but he is also the only vegetable to ever have a book published. Even a potato's dream can come true!
  

• The Magical Adventures Of Malex Potato

  Rebekah HayashiAged 16

  “Hello! This is Top That! Publishing services. How may I help you today?”
  “…” Malex thought for a moment. How could they help him? He didn’t even know why he had called anymore. At first, he was going to tell them of his magical experience, but would they believe him? Probably not. If he really wanted people to know about him, he would have to show them. A story about a potato coming to life? That’s just crazy talk without some proof.
  “Hello? Is anyone there?” Malex hung up the phone and hopped off the desk. He slid back into his chair and began to make a plan. The first thing he would have to do is find someone to listen to his story. This idea made him think of the lady he had seen enter the building earlier. Where had she gone? Malex hadn’t seen her for a while.
  Deciding there was no point in waiting for her to come out, Malex rolled off his chair and headed in the direction he had last seen her. He trotted off through an open doorway leading to a hallway filled with doors. Standing on his tip-toes to peer into each door window, Malex made his way down the hall. By the fourth or fifth door, he started to become discouraged. He couldn’t figure out where this lady had gone!
  Finally, on the second to last door, Malex’s luck turned around. There she was! The lady from the front door! Malex made an excited squeal before pushing open the door. He hastily climbed up into the chair seated in front of her desk. The woman hadn’t seen him yet, so he took a moment to peer around the room. One of the first things he noticed was the name plate. Apparently, this woman’s name was Jovie Lou. Malex thought for a minute before reasoning that he really liked the name. The next thing he noticed was that Jovie was very busy. A pile of papers were spread around on top of her desk, and she was typing madly on her computer.
  This caused Malex to reconsider speaking to her. He figured she was way too busy to listen to his story right now, so he would just have to come back later. Malex stood up to leave, but the movement caught Jovie’s eye. She looked startled, as if she had just seen a ghost. This thought worried Malex, so he looked around to be positive that there were no ghosts. He didn’t see any, so he turned back around to notice Jovie starting at him wide-eyed. She stuttered over her words as she tried to speak.
  “A… a potato! A moving potato! Whe… where did it come from?” She bit her lip in consideration. Malex took this as an opportunity to introduce himself.
  “Hello. My name is Malex. I thought you could help me get my story published. I want everyone to know how I magically came alive.”
  “Um… ok. Wow! I can’t believe I’m talking to a potato! Ok, calm down Jovie. Alright, ok. Have you thought of a title?” Jovie fanned herself with some papers before setting them down and grabbing a pen. Malex watched as she scribbled “rough draft” in big letters across the top. He thought for a second, then smiled.
  “I want to call it ‘The Magical Adventure of Malex Potato’.” Jovie grinned in response and wrote it down, too. Malex made himself comfortable and suggested Jovie do the same. This was sure to be a long night.
  

• Percival's Début

  valerie alvarezAged 24

  Disgusted with the lack of service he was receiving Percival dialed the numbers.
  “How may I help you?” questioned a voice.
  “Can you direct me to the nearest plastic surgeon?” Percival asked impatiently.
  “I’m sorry,” the voice continued, "I don't have that information- but we do have a phone book in the lobby.”
  Percival frowned as he hung up the phone and grabbed the phone book. He didn't have a lot of time and didn't want to waste it searching for a plastic surgeon in a phone book when he could have easily Googled it in two seconds.
  "Success!" Percival exclaimed after searching for a few frustrating minutes.
  Percival had found his plastic surgeon and was on his way once again.
  Once he arrived at his destination he made his appointment and waited patiently in the lobby; yet again. He noticed himself being stared at and shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
  After sitting for exactly thirty seven minutes and fourteen seconds the large brown door with the smooth silver handle swooped open and a woman appeared.
  "Percival Poh-poh-tah" the nurse called.
  "Potato," he said dryly as he was ushered back.
  “Sorry dear,” she replied after giving him a once over, “don’t know how I messed that one up.”
  The surgeon was surprised to see a potato for a consultation but humored Percival.
  "What can I do for you?"
  "I want to be a movie star. And as you can see, I'm a potato-I'll rot soon. I need your help Doc." Percival explained.
  "Alright Percival. This is going to be an intense plastic surgery session” the surgeon said.
  After a few weeks of rest and relaxation from all of the stitches from the surgery Percival got to take off his bandages and see himself for the first time.
  He loved his new look.
  Percival went on to become a famous actor and has walked the red carpet many times. You might recognize his work in such acclaimed films as Toy Story 1, 2, and 3 as Mr. Potato Head.
  

• The Story Of Chip The Magic Potato

  Mariah DeitrickAged 29

  “Hello,” said the voice from the phone.
  “Hello,” said Chip.
  “Hello,” again said the voice.
  Drat, they didn’t speak potato. How was he ever supposed to tell his story? Chip wondered.
  Discouraged, he hung the phone up and sat on the edge of counter. He needed someone to translate, but who could do that? He didn’t know anyone.
  Chip looked around, and down on the desk was a pen and paper. That’s perfect, he thought. He could write the story of how he became the only living potato.
  Climbing down onto the desk, Chip grabbed a pen and began to write.
  “aziehtoer wxoek.” Wait, were those even words? He didn’t know for sure.
  Chip fumbled around the desk looking for examples of words. Nothing looked like what he’d written. The only thing he could understand was numbers. Living in the market, people counted all the time when they bought potatoes. Could the numbers help? He wondered. Of course they could!
  Chip wrote the number one then drew a picture of a potato. It was just a plan potato with no eyes, mouth, or hands.
  Next, he wrote the number two then drew a potato with roots sprouting out of the top. He rubbed his hand across his wonderful root hair.
  Chip continue drawing every step of his day until he reached the point in his story were he was at the desk drawing. By then, he was tired.
  Laying down the pen, Chip curled up on the desk for a nap. He hadn’t realized when he was sleeping he looked like a normal potato, and when he woke up, he found himself in a kitchen. Butter and sour cream sat next to him. Someone planned to eat him. Hadn’t they noticed his picture? He wondered.
  Chip climbed off the counter, but was quickly picked up by the person wanting him for a meal.
  “No you don’t,” a woman said.
  He waved his hands, and kicked his feet. The hand gripping him let go.
  “Ahhhh! What is this?” she screamed.
  Trying to find his way back to the desk, Chip ran. He needed to show his drawing to her. That would explain things, and hopefully save him.
  He hurried to the desk, and the woman followed carrying a jar to capture him.
  Frantically, Chip pointed at the paper still lying on the desk.
  The woman leaned in to take a closer look. “Did you draw this?” she asked.
  Chip was relieved she finally understood, and he nodded.
  “How?” she asked, but then nodded in understanding after finishing the story he’d drawn for her.
  He waited as she sat in the chair and watched him, hoping she wouldn’t try to eat him again.
  “You have a wonderful story,” she said. “How would you like to share it with everyone?”
  Chip nodded; happy she wasn’t going to eat him.
  The two got to work right away, and made a wonderful book together. Chip did all the illustrations, and his new friend wrote the words for him. It was a good thing she understood his drawings, but they’d still have to work on her understanding potato.
  
  
  
  

• A Day In The Life Of A Magic Potato

  Julia PercivalAged 27

  Edward, the magic potato was getting more and more cross….no one was answering the phone! Eventually he slammed the receiver down on the phone in disgust but he slammed it too hard and it bounced off again and fell down behind the reception counter. Edward felt a bit silly for getting cross at a telephone and sheepishly started to climb down behind the counter to get the receiver. He lowered himself carefully onto the desk below. The telephone receiver was lying on its side a little distance from him. Just as he was trotting across the desk, taking care to avoid scattered pens and paperclips, he noticed a movement out of the corner of his eye. He stopped suddenly,
  “What was that?” he thought
  He began to worry
  “What if it was a mouse? Mice eat potatoes don’t they?”
  He was starting to panic a bit now and backed away from the phone again, towards the edge of the desk.
  “Hello!”
  A shrill little voice caused Edward to leap in the air in shock and topple over the edge of the desk!
  “Help?” he thought, as he plummeted to the floor.
  Luckily for Edward, potatoes usually bounce and he was no exception. He got to his feet unsteadily and stared up at the desk. What on earth had said hello to him?
  Slowly, a bright green thing with two little black eyes peered over the edge of the desk. Then another appeared next to it, and another, and another. Edward did not know what to make of this at all!
  “When in doubt be polite” he thought.
  He raised his hand and waved at the little green figures.
  “Hello” he shouted up at them.
  A tiny little white hand appeared over the edge of the desk and shyly waved back at him.
  “Sorry” squeaked one of the grapes
  “If” squeaked the one next to it,
  “We” said the one next in line
  “Scared”, said the one on the end
  “you” said the first grape again.
  Suddenly there was a kafuffle behind the grapes and they all turned around to look and then disappeared back up onto the desk top.
  “Erm” said Edward, scratching his head. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. He started to look around the floor of the reception area. Where could he go now?
  Suddenly there was a tickling sensation on his head. He flapped his arms around a bit, thinking it was a fly trying to stand on him. His hand knocked into something dangling from the desk, it tinkled slightly when it moved. Edward looked up and saw a giant paperclip ladder, built by the desk grapes.
  “Come on!” came the shout from on top of the desk.
  Edward took hold of the ladder and started to climb. When he got to the top there was a huge cheer from the assembled grapes. There were hundreds of them! Some were wrinkly and old and others were little tiny things that hid behind the older grapes away from the scary potato.
  “Hi” said Edward, “my name is Edward”
  “Hail King Edward!” chanted the grapes. They rushed forwards, almost knocking him over and between them they all picked him up and carried him off to the lunch box castle on the other side of the desk. One grape, a wizened old wrinkly one, solemnly placed a crown made of shiny bright chocolate wrappers onto Edwards head. All the grapes bowed down to their new King. Edward was a good grape king, he was fair and just and protected the grapes from being eaten by moving the castle into the bottom drawer of an old filling cabinet, where the grape kingdom flourished and all the grapes, and Edward lived happily ever after.