Kids 8-12: Enter the STINETINGLERS Scary Story Writing Contest! (CLOSED)

Winners have been contacted!

Please accept our sincere gratitude for entering the Stinetinglers Scary Story Writing Contest. We had over 300 entries, and it was good, hard work to read through them. Your kids delighted and scared us with their stories. We hope you’ll continue to encourage your young writers so they keep cultivating their imagination and creativity.

We have contacted our grand prize winner and runner-up but wanted to also thank every single young author who submitted a story. If their story met the writing prompt standards, we considered them in the running.

R. L. Stine ushers us into spooky season with Stinetinglers, his gruesome new middle-grade novel that is full of scary stories sure to make your head spin. This Halloween season, parents and guardians of budding horror enthusiasts ages 8-12 are invited to enter the Stinetinglers Scary Story Writing Contest. Entries are open to all who dare from October 1 – 31, 2022.

Can you scare R. L. Stine, the master of scary tales?

The contest will be judged by the Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group Stinetinglers team, including Stine’s editor, Kat Brzozowski (Senior Editor, Feiwel & Friends), Brittany Groves (Assistant Editor, Feiwel & Friends), Sage Kiernan-Sherrow (Editorial Intern, Feiwel & Friends), Elysse Villalobos (Marketing Coordinator, MacKids School & Library), Kristen Luby (Senior Marketing Manager, MacKids School & Library), Mary Van Akin (Director, MacKids School & Library Marketing), and R. L. Stine himself. We’re on the lookout for a story so bone-chilling that it’ll make us witch it was Halloween all year long.

Rules and Requirements: bit.ly/StinetinglersRules
Privacy Notice: https://us.macmillan.com/privacy-notice

The grand prize winner will get to meet R.L. Stine in a virtual classroom visit and will receive a $500 Amex gift card, a signed copy of Stinetinglers, a class set of Stinetinglers for their school, and a Stinetinglers sticker, plus their short story will be published online or in print.

The runner-up will receive a signed copy of Stinetinglers, a classroom set of Stinetinglers for their school, and a Stinetinglers sticker.

Writing Prompt: R. L. Stine writes tales that terrify, and now we want to hear yours! Write a scary short story between 1,000 and 1,500 words. It must have a catchy title, a protagonist, a creepy setting, and a moment of suspense.

Learn more about STINETINGLERS here! →

School is Wherever I Am Sweepstakes

Learning happens when you have an open mind and an open heart. Start your school year with School is Wherever I Am by author (and teacher!) Ellie Peterson, a timely new picture book about learning and exploration, and the ever-expanding definition of school. Enter our giveaway for a chance to receive a classroom poster and activity perfect for bulletin board displays.

Enter the sweeps here →

Win a Virtual Author visit with Julie C. Dao!

What better way to start the school year than with a book about sibling rivalry, laser tag, and a race against time? Team Chu and the Battle of Blackwood Arena by author Julie C. Dao is a middle grade adventure every kid will want to read. Think Jumanji but with laser tag! Enter our giveaway for a chance to win a virtual classroom visit with author Julie C. Dao, a class set of Team Chu and the Battle of Blackwood Arena and black light keychains and a breakout style activity kit!

The runner-up will receive a class set of Team Chu and the Battle of Blackwood Arena and black light keychains, the breakout style activity kit, and a video of Julie C. Dao.

No purchase necessary. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia who are age 21 years of age or older. Entry period begins at 12:00 a.m. (ET) on Monday, August 01, 2022 and ends at 11:59 PM ET on Wednesday, August 31, 2022. Void where prohibited. For full Official Rules, visit https://read.macmillan.com/promo/mcpgschoollibaryteamchusweeps . Sponsored by Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, 120 Broadway 10271.


About the Book

Team Chu and the Battle of Blackwood Arena by Julie C. Dao
Ages 8-12 | On Sale Now!

A rollicking, action-packed adventure of laser tag and fierce sibling rivalries, Team Chu and the Battle of Blackwood Arena is the first book in a commercial middle grade fantasy series by Julie C. Dao.

Clip and Sadie Chu couldn’t be more different. Popular, athletic Clip wants to become his school’s first seventh-grade soccer captain, while brainy star student Sadie is determined to prove that she can do anything her boastful brother can.

They have just one thing in common: they love laser tag. Like, really love it.

When the Blackwood Gaming Arena comes to town, bringing virtual reality headsets and state-of-the-art courses, they couldn’t be more excited—or competitive. But then a mysterious figure appears and claims to be a part of the game, forcing the Chus and their friends to save themselves from a sinister force lurking inside the simulation. Together, they must fight their way through epic battlegrounds that will test their speed, skills, and smarts . . . but will Clip and Sadie learn that they’re far better off working together than competing for the ultimate victory?


Praise for Team Chu and the Battle of Blackwood Arena

“Through the siblings’ alternating perspectives and respective internal struggle… Dao (Song of the Crimson Flower) delves into the Chu’s intergenerational dynamics, pressures, and expectations. A rousing adventure and heartwarming series opener.” Publishers Weekly

“Chapters alternate between sports-loving Clip’s voice and academically inclined Sadie’s point of view as the siblings unravel the mystery in the most challenging—and imaginative—game of laser tag they’ve ever played. Young gamers, and readers who enjoy rooting for a strong sibling relationship full of competition and support, will revel in this fun, fast-paced adventure.” —Booklist

An action-packed tale of sibling rivalry where thrills and challenges highlight the importance of family and teamwork. This book will delight readers with its fast pace and captivating worlds. Dao has once again crafted a must-read story full of immersive adventure.” —Adrianna Cuevas, author of Pura Belpré Honor book The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez and Cuba in My Pocket

Enter for your chance to win our Grishaverse Summer Reading sweepstakes!


Explore the Grishaverse this summer!

Get ready for an unforgettable summer adventure! With a second season of Netflix’s hit original series Shadow and Bone coming soon and the 10th Anniversary of the publication of Shadow and Bone approaching, now is the perfect time to revisit this bestselling series and introduce a new generation of readers to the Grishaverse.

Enter for your chance to win a classroom set of Shadow and Bone
to share with your students before summer break begins!

All teachers who enter will also receive an invitation for their classroom to join a nationwide virtual Back to School celebration with New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo this Fall! Plus, we’ll share teacher’s guides full of discussion questions and lesson plan ideas to incorporate Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows into your classroom curriculum next year. 

Find more Grishaverse educator resources & learn about a new Darkling graphic novel here →

Celebrate LATINITAS during Women’s History Month!

Discover how 40 influential Latinas became the women we celebrate today in Latinitas: Celebrating 40 Big Dreamers by Juliet Menéndez, a gorgeous collection of biographies accompanied by stunning hand-painted illustrations! Don’t miss Latinitas (Spanish Edition): Una celebración de 40 soñadoras audaces available on March 1st!

Download free educator resources and teacher’s guides (available in both English and Spanish!) to use alongside the book. Plus, enter to receive a free Latinitas art print to display in your classroom or library.

Find more resources to celebrate LATINITAS here →