2025 PBS KIDS Writers Contest Winners

Congratulations to our 2025 PBS KIDS Writers Contest winners! Explore their stories below.

2025 WVPB Reader’s Choice Awards

Coming soon!

Fifth Grade

1st Place: Pickle Pete 2: A Curious Quest by Lilly Stubbs of Monongalia County
2nd Place: Marble Run by Theresa ‘Reese’ McGowan of Ohio County
3rd Place: Nora and Ultima vs. The Ice Witch by Emma Gladwell of Cabell County

Fourth Grade

1st Place: The Adventure at The Eastern Blue River by Ryman Dennison of Hardy County
2nd Place: Duckbilled by Jonah Neil of Wayne County
3rd Place: We Have a Problem: How NASA (Accidentally) Launched the First Cat into Space by Elise Silber of Kanawha County

Third Grade

1st Place: Ella and the Typewriter by Avonlea Cooper of Wood County
2nd Place: The Absence of Life by Isaiah David Umbel of Taylor County

**CONTENT GUIDANCE: This story explores themes of mortality/existence that may be distressing for young readers.
3rd Place: Total Solar Eclipse by Francesca Briar Shangler of Cabell County

Second Grade

1st Place: A Hungry Little Donkey Travels the World by Helina Goodwin of Marion County
2nd Place: Ms. Pickle Toes by Rowan Bailey of Greenbrier County
3rd Place: Toto and His Friends by Zean-Ying Eugene Thong of Kanawha County

First Grade

1st Place: Cabby’s Great Adventure by Hazel Hagler of Kanawha County
2nd Place: The Best Boy by Bowen Groves of Harrison County
3rd Place: The Family Vacation by Maggie Stackhouse of Monongalia County

Kindergarten

1st Place: Haymes the Knight by Caelum Groves of Harrison County
2nd Place: Lazy Fruits by Cole McAvoy of Brooke County
3rd Place: Beau Finds a Family” by Luca Cassiadoro of Hancock County