The Charlotte Duncan Award was established in 2009 in memory of our baby daughter, Charlotte Duncan, to raise funds for the neo-natal unit at Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital. The 2009 donation was $521.

Charlotte Duncan Award - 2010

Entries for the Charlotte Duncan Award 2010 for a short story for young readers aged 9-12 years will open on
1 December 2009 and close on 28 February 2010.

Charlotte Duncan Award 2010 - Submissions Guidelines

Charlotte Duncan Award 2010 - Entry Form

Judges Report - 2009

There was a wide range of stories entered, with themes of cross-gender through to genocide. My job was made difficult by a couple of stories that had huge potential, yet the writers needed either good editors or more experience to bring out their promise.

What does a literary judge look for when choosing "the best" story? This judge looked for writing style; depth; plot. I believe these three ingredients take care of a multitude of other sins, such as poor grammar; spelling errors; MS presentation.

To my mind the winning story, "Ashley's Guitar", has all three ingredients in spades. Tightly written, it is about a child coping with loss. This one sentence fulfils my criteria for a winning story.

Paul Collins
Judge, Charlotte Duncan Award 2009

Shortlist and Winners 2009

First Prize

Ashley's guitar

Stella Tarakson

Second Prize

Breathe easy

Claire Kamber

Third Prize

My dad's an astronaut

Sharon Hammad

Highly Commended

The Littlest Pet

Aleesah Darlison

A proper grandfather

Sallie Ramsay

Marina Mack and the magic paper

Jeffery E Doherty

Snap

Angela Sunde

The Sandwich

Angela Sunde

Baby has landed

Silvia Dubini Muscardin

Caravania

Matt Porter

Australia's funniest gnome video's

Matt Porter

Wasps and Dragonflies

Carmel Lillis