Linda Radke of multi-award winning Five Star Publications and Lynda Exley co-founded Kids Can Publish University. Michael Moorehead the author of  The Student From Zombie Island: Conquering the Rumor Monster is Lynda Exley’s son. He wrote this delightful book at age nine.

Kids Can Publish, a no- or low-entry fee child writer contest clearing house, now offers:  Contests & Publish Opportunities, School Visits & Workshops, Grant Writing Info, Curriculum Kits, Ideas for Teachers, Other Publishing Opportunities, and Kids Can Publish inspirational stories and how-to book. Another of Five Star Publications young authors, Dylan Peters wrote and illustrated Tic Talk at age nine.  He describes in his own words what it is like to live with Tourette syndrome.

Other impressive young author’s works include: My Book for Kids with Cansur [i.e. Cancer]: A Child’s Autobiography of Hope was written by Jason Gaes, an 8-year old cancer survivor. It was illustrated by his twin brother Tim and older brother Allen.  A lump appeared on the young author’s jaw when he was 6. A visit to a dentist was followed by a visit to a doctor and a biopsy. The diagnosis was Burkitt’s lymphoma, a rare and rapidly growing malignancy.

Young Authors have been publishing since the mid twentieth century. Perhaps the youngest published author on record is Dorothy Straight of Washington DC. At the age of four she wrote: “How The World Began” in 1964.

Hilda Conkling, born in 1910 wrote most of her poetry between the ages of four and ten years old. Her mother Grace used to read her all kinds of literature, no matter how hard it was. As a result, Hilda began speaking poems, which her mother would write down. Her first published book appeared in 1920, “Poems by a Little Girl”, when she was only ten. Two years later, she published Shoes of the Wind and, finally Silverhorn in 1924.

The Tallest Leprechaun was written by Emily Koenig shortly before she passed away from meningitis at age twelve. She Was Nice To Mice was authored by Ally Sheedy when she was twelve and illustrated by her 13-year old  friend  Jessica Ann Levy.  Probably one of the international most famous child author is Anne Frank. I read her published diary as a girl and was deeply touch when visiting the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam on my visit to Holland in 2008.

Gordon Korman wrote the first of 53 published books, This Can’t be Happening At Macdonald Hall when he was twelve. The most recent child author, Christopher Paolini has seen his novel Eragon turned into a movie. He was a home-schooled 15-year old at the time he wrote the first draft and was seventeen when it was published.

Margaret Turley invites Children through age 19 to submit poetry, short story or essay entries up to 500 words to be considered for publication on Margaret’s Blog August 22nd – September 19th by leaving your contact information in the comment section below. All entrants will receive a Certificate of Participation. Children interested in entering a contest with prizes should check out the Get Published Enter Contests tab at Kids Can Publish University.

Your child, grandchild, student, niece, nephew may be the next published child author. Check out the various opportunities available at:  http://fivestarpublications.com/ . If you would like to schedule a school visit or workshop or have other questions email Linda Radke at:  info@fivestarpublications.com.