Bruce Coville Halloween Writing Competition 2025 - The Adventure of Norbert Spaghetti Pants and the Witch's Magic Caldron
Bruce Coville, a renowned children's writer from Syracuse, has launched his 26th story contest in collaboration with the local newsroom. This year's theme is Halloween, and the contest is open to children attending schools in Central New York.
The story, titled 'Norbert Spaghetti Pants and the Cauldron of Doom', follows the adventures of a young boy named Norbert. The plot unfolds at a cabin deep in the woods, which belongs to Norbert's mother and her evil uncle.
Norbert, who is not actually adorned with spaghetti in his pants but earned the name due to his skinny legs, encounters an old woman dressed in black and wearing a pointed hat, who calls herself Old Maude. The old woman, with her wild laughter, intrigues Norbert, who then asks about the cauldron she is stirring. Old Maude cryptically tells him that if he uses the tears in the cauldron, he can hardly imagine what will happen.
The contest is divided into three groups: kindergarten through third grade, fourth and fifth grades, and sixth and seventh grades. The winners will be chosen from these groups, with each receiving an autographed copy of one of Bruce Coville's books. Winning entries will also be published in The Post-Standard and on Advance Media New York's website.
The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, Oct. 1 at noon. Entries can be mailed to Advance Media New York or submitted via email. Each entry should include the writer's name, address, age, grade, and a phone number where they or a parent can be reached.
As the story progresses, Norbert runs away in anger and gets lost in the woods. He encounters various challenges and meets unusual characters, including Uncle Cletus, who teases Norbert by putting uncooked spaghetti into the lower part of Norbert's pumpkin and shouting 'Spaghetti Pants!'".
The family's trip to the cabin also includes a pumpkin carving contest. However, the highlight of the trip becomes Norbert's encounter with Old Maude and the mysterious cauldron.
Judges will select the entries they consider to be the most original, creative, and entertaining. The winners will be announced shortly after the deadline. Information about the winners from Central New York in Bruce Coville's story contest for fourth to fifth graders is not publicly available at this time.
The contest is limited to 600 to 800 words. So, if you think you have a creative and engaging ending for Norbert's story, don't hesitate to participate! Good luck!
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