Questions parents ask

Is it really free to enter?

Yes. There is a suggested $1 contribution toward running costs, and you can set it to $0. Your child's entry is read and judged exactly the same either way. We do not see what a family contributed when we are reading their child's story.

What is the contribution actually for?

Printing and posting the ten winning paperbacks, generating every entrant's personal ebook, and the cost of the website and payment processing itself. Nothing else.

How many stories can my child enter?

One story per child per round. If your child writes something they like better, submit it again before the round closes. The newest version replaces the one before it, so only their latest story is judged.

Does the story have to stick closely to the theme?

It has to be about this round's theme, "The Long Way Here," in some form. Beyond that we have kept it open on purpose: a true family story, an invented character, something funny, something ordinary. All of it counts, as long as arriving somewhere is part of the story.

Can a parent help with the story?

Talking it through, helping with spelling, typing it up if a young writer cannot type themselves: all fine. Writing it for them is not. We score the story, not the presentation, so do not worry about neat handwriting or perfect formatting.

What about a story written with help from an AI tool?

Please do not. We are not running detection software and we are not going to accuse anyone of anything, but the whole point of this competition is a child's own voice, and a tool cannot give you that on their behalf.

My child's story is a bit short or long for their age band. Can they still enter?

Almost certainly, yes. Each band has a target word count, but we only turn a story away if it sits far outside that range, not simply a little short or long. The entry form will tell you if a story is genuinely out of range as you write it.

How are the ten stories in the book chosen?

Every entry is read in full and scored against four published criteria: voice, story, detail, and craft. One overall winner, the Kitchen Table Prize, is judged first across the whole field. Then three stories are chosen from each of the three age bands. See our full judging criteria for the complete picture.

What happens if my child is not one of the ten selected?

They still receive a personalised ebook of the anthology, with their own story included as its final chapter. Every entrant hears back on results day, selected or not. Nobody is left wondering.

When will we hear back?

Entries close 11:59pm Sunday 4 October 2026, the end of the spring school holidays. Results are announced and emailed to every parent on Monday 12 October 2026. Ebooks follow by Saturday 17 October, and paperbacks to the ten selected families arrive between 25 and 28 October.

What does the ebook actually contain?

The Kitchen Table Prize story, then three stories from each age band, then your own child's story as the final chapter. Every entrant's edition is generated individually, so the last chapter is always theirs.

Can we buy extra paperback copies?

Yes. Once a round's book is published, anyone can order extra paperback copies directly from Amazon, at Amazon's own price, for grandparents, a school library, or family overseas.

Will my child's full name or a photo appear anywhere?

No. Selected stories are published under first name and last initial only. Round One does not use photos of any child. If a later round wants to use a photo, we will ask for separate written permission at that time, not through this form.

What happens to my child's information and story afterward?

We keep entry details for the round plus 12 months, then delete the personal information. If a story is one of the ten selected, the child's first name, last initial, age band, and hometown remain as part of the printed book itself, since that cannot be recalled once posted. See our privacy policy for the full detail.

My school has not mentioned this. Can we still enter?

Yes. Any Australian family can enter directly through this site regardless of whether their school has shared it. A newsletter mention just helps other families hear about it.

We are not in Victoria. Do the dates still apply to us?

The closing and results dates are the same nationally. They are timed around the Victorian school calendar, but NSW and Queensland spring holidays fall in a similar window, so the timing should still make sense wherever you are.

Who is behind The Kitchen Table Book?

Kevin Tan, a Melbourne writer and the author of Fine... I'll Do It, a book of practical advice for teenagers. Read more on our About page.