• Winners of HSLDA's 2023 Short Story Contest

  • View the winning short stories from HSLDA's 2023 short story contest below. Start by selecting an age category from the drop-down menu, and then scroll down to view the theme and the winning stories in that age category, as well as the finalists listed at the bottom of the page.

  • Write a short story in 1,000 words or less. In your story, the protagonist should demonstrate the importance of truthfulness.

  • 1st Place

    "Batter Up!" by Faith Spitznagle, Burnsville, MN

  • 2nd Place

    "Truth," by Laney Barnes, Clancy, MT

  • 3rd Place

    "Secrets and Beads," by Libby Rand, Dallas, OR

  • Honorable Mention

    "Jackson and the Escaping Traitor," by Elizabeth Bentley, Darlington, MD

  • Honorable Mention

    "The Truthful Cookie Monster," by Madison Iocco, Walton, KY

  • Honorable Mention

    "The Lie that Rose Told," by Elise Kramer, Blaine, MN

  • Honorable Mention

    "Sharing Truth," by Judah Barnes, Clancy, MT

  • Finalists:

    “The Truth Catastrophe,” by Isabella Huffman, Charles Town, WV

    “The Upside Down Life,” by Emma Crowell, Pleasant View, TN

    “Eagle Brothers,” by Ethan Grimes, Shelbyville, TN

    “The Quest for Honesty,” by Jeremiah Faustino, Vernon Hills, IL

    “One Rainy Saturday,” by Regan Brown, Ava, NY

    “The Soccer Game,” by Lydia Aldana, Villa Park, IL

  • Write a short story in 1,500 words or less. In your story, the protagonist should demonstrate the importance of hard work.

  • 1st Place

    "On to Kansas!" by Teresa Egan, Clive, IA

  • 2nd Place

    "Five Tigers," by Ofelia Goss, Colorado Springs, CO

  • 3rd Place

    "Bitter Frost, Sweet Sun," by Brianna Carlton, Montrose, CO

  • Honorable Mention

    "Lone Star," by Leighton Overall, Newport, NC

  • Honorable Mention

    "Espar's Despair," by Annelise Ricks, Silver Spring, MD

  • Honorable Mention

    "Failure First," by Jordyn Chappell, Brownfield, TX

  • Honorable Mention

    "Monster Slayer," by Adriana Drake, Knox, IN

  • Finalists:

    “Maple Fur and Teeth of Pearl,” by Rachel Atkins, Pleasant Garden, NC

    “Fiki and the Squirrel,” by Lilah Hull, Rhome, TX

    “Seedtime and Harvest,” by Angélica Gazaway, Barnard, MO

    “The First Horse,” by Mary Leetch, Columbia, SC

    “Free Climb,” by Grace Lieser, Elgin, IL

    “The Bicycle,” by Elisha Lee, New Braunfels, TX

    “The Best Pie of Them All,” by Therese Primbs, Yorba Linda, CA

    “To Be Continued… In the Afterlife,” by Gretchen Tuttle, Dexter, MI

    “Earth’s End,” by Margaret deLeon, Stillwater, MN

    “The Devoted Mother Mouse,” by Aria Sager, Barrington, IL

    “Reach for the Stars,” by Amara House, Ooltewah, TN

    “Drudgery: A Short Story,” by Robert Yoder, Plain City, OH

    “The Three Basic Fundamentals of Making True Gardens,” by Madison Aparisi, Sunnyvale, CA

  • Write a short story in 2,000 words or less. In your story, the protagonist should demonstrate the importance of contentment.

  • 1st Place

    "I Shall Not Want," by Sarah Hamilton, Windber, PA

  • 1st Place

    "Perdita," by Abigail Riley, Edinboro, PA

  • 3rd Place

    "Moments of Importance," by Annabelle King, Milton, GA

  • Honorable Mention

    "When Joey Was a Puppy," by Lydia Woolley, Denton, TX

  • Honorable Mention

    "The Poet," by Rebecca Reynolds, APO, AE

  • Honorable Mention

    "Home is Where the Love Is," by Analiese Smead, Chino Hills, CA

  • Honorable Mention

    "Orphans in the Middle East," by Abigail Fredrickson, Wylie, TX

  • Finalists:

    “The Grateful Game,” by Sara Flank, Trophy Club, TX

    “Foothill Wizards,” by Sarah Weindelmayer, Ashland, VA

    “These Round Walls,” by Katherine Tuttle, Dexter, MI

    “The Best Lunch Ever,” by Abby Talbert, Reidsville, NC

    “Homeschooler,” by Katherine Waggoner, Wyncote, PA

    “Riches to Rags,” by Alayna Niblack, Edwards, CA

    “Invisible Light,” by Alayna Niblack, Edwards, CA

    “The Choice of Contentment,” by Jeanmarie Coco, Holtsville, NY

    “Reaching Out,” by Elizabeth Walters, Holly, MI

    “Bronze, Silver, and Gold,” by Gwendolyn Musgrove, Athens, GA

    “The Limits of the Black Mirror,” by Rocco Faustino, Mebane, NC

    “Contentment in Every Circumstance,” by Abby Talbert, Reidsville, NC

    “1940,” by Audrey Lao, Windermere, FL

  • Should be Empty: