In August 2025, the BCA invited local youth aged nine to 17 to write an original short story on one of two topics: Write a story about a character or characters who get something other than candy while trick or treating; OR A family buys a new pet at a strange store. They take the pet home and start to realize that this is not the house pet they thought it was!
Thank you and congratulations to everyone who participated, this year we received 26 submissions! The judges loved reading all your creative stories and had a very difficult time in selecting winners.
We are pleased to announce that the first place winner of the short story competition is Blackburn’s Henry MacWha for his heartwarming story “Max the Pirate”, about a boy who is gifted with the sweetest treat of all while trick-or-treating on Halloween. Henry will receive the top cash prize of $100. We are also pleased to announce the runners up, who will each collect cash prizes of $50: “Un Halloween pas comme les autres” by Clara Lachance, “Dog Earred Books” by Emma Schunk, and “A Tooth?” by Emilia Kucic. Honourable mentions also go to Theia Taylor for her captivating and spooky story “Empty Candy Wrapper”, and Damien from Ms. Craig’s grade 4 class at Good Shepherd School for his story “Ken and Kai go to the Pet Store… and get a surprise!”. They will receive a prize.
Winner
Max the Pirate.
By: Henry MacWha
Max loved Halloween. As usual, he had been working on his costume for weeks. He was dressed as a pirate, a plastic sword by his side and a slightly too large hat on his head, ready to fill his bag with candy. As he started trick-or-treating, most places gave out the usual, chocolate, candy, and a small bag of chips if they were feeling generous. But at the end of maple street, he noticed a house he hadn’t seen before. The house was quiet, but the front light was on, and there were decorations out, so Max decided to go up and ring the doorbell. A woman answered, smiling warmly. Instead of candy, she dropped a small book into his basket. “Thanks?” he replied, though he wasn’t sure what he would need a book for. Later that night, as Max was looking at his candy, his eyes kept gliding to the book he got. The book was thin, and the cover was worn. But he could read the cover, “The Adventure of Captain Silver.” Out of curiosity, he started to read. The book followed a boy his age, who was a pirate, and went on real adventures. Max kept reading, and forgot all about his candy.
Over the next few days, he read his book at lunch, on the bus, and everywhere else. It wasn’t about ghosts or monsters, but it was the most exciting book he had ever read. The next year, Max dressed up as a special pirate, Captain Silver. When his friends were comparing their candy, he just smiled. Because tucked in his bag, below all the candy, was the book he loved. Max realized that the best treat wasn’t always a sweet, it could be a story.
Runners up
Un Halloween pas comme les autres
Par Clara Lachance
Dans le petit village de mouetteville, Halloween était toujours un moment magique. Cette année Victoria, Fiona et Clara déguiser en policière, prisonnière et cambrioleuse, étaient prêtes pour leur tournée.
-Trick or treat! Disaient elles excitées.
Mais à leurs grandes surprises les festivités ne se passèrent pas comme prévu. Car lorsque qu’elles arrivèrent chez Mme Lagrume elles reçurent des chaussettes en cotons faites à la main.
-Pour garder vos petits pieds au chaud mes enfants. Dit Mme Lagrume. Alors elles allèrent chez M. Prudhomme. Ce dernier les donna des vieux magazines fripés et dit,
-Rien de mieux qu’une bonne lecture avant d’aller au lit, même à l’Halloween !
Les cadeaux devenait de plus en plus étranges, chez Mme Lecuyer des boucles d’oreilles, chez M. Lecompte des confitures et bien d’autres.
-Mais où sont tous les bonbons! Se plaignait Victoria.
Fatiguées et déçues les filles décidèrent de frapper à la porte une dernier fois à une porte inconnue. Elles cognèrent à la porte et celle ci s’ouvra mais personne répondue. Une voie intringante se fit entendre et dit :
– Vous avez été polis, patient et intrigué, alors nous vous avons réservé une petite surprise, rentrer donc.
Les filles rentrèrent et une montagne de friandise, chocolats et bonbons de différents variétés.
-Pour ceux qui savent que Halloween ce n’est pas que des bonbons et du sucre, dit la voie. Mais que c’est l’aventure le fun et le temps qu’on passe avec ceux que l’on aime .
Les filles rentrèrent chez elles le cœur plein d’émerveillement, la tête pleine de leurs leçons et les poches pleines de friandises . Depuis les filles ne chialent plus lorsqu’elle reçoivent autre chose que des bonbons sucrés.
La fin
Dog Earred Books
By: Emma Schunk
“Come on, get in the car,” said my mom. Today was the day we were finally getting a pet. “Grace! Jane! Now!”
Me and my sister got in the car. Thirty minutes later we were at a really weird pet store.
“Aww, he’s so cute” said Jane, and next thing I knew an energetic dog was coming home with us.
When we got home, our new dog Doughnut jumped out of the car and ran into the house, all the way to the family room. I cuddled on the couch with Jane, Doughnut, and a good book. I started reading Alice In Wonderland and when I was at the part about the White Rabbit, Doughnut started growling. His ears stood up and started to grow.
Jane was so frightened that she dropped her watch. Doughnut hopped over to the watch. Then he said “I’m late, I’m late.”
“Hey look, it’s the White Rabbit!” said Jane. “ He must have magical powers.”
I knew she was wrong, but Doughnut did come from a weird store. I took out The Very Hungry Caterpillar and started reading it outloud. I was almost done the book when Doughnut’s ears started shrinking, small like an antenna. His legs went to the side and then turned into wings. He turned into a butterfly, like at the end of the book. I guess Jane was right. Doughnut flew into the dining room and Jane ran after him. He was going to the light. He was about to get burned!
Then I thought of an idea. “Jane, throw me The Wizard of Oz right now!” I yelled. She threw the book like it was a boomerang. I started reading it and when I said Toto Doughnut went back to normal.
Our new pet is very special.
A Tooth?
By: Emilia Jucic
“ Hazel! Wait!!” Amelia said, running after her friend. It was the day of Halloween and Amelia and Hazel were trick or treating. Hazel had loved Halloween ever since she was little, it was like her Christmas. All year long she had waited for it. In May she planned her Halloween costume, in September she put up decorations and in October every day was the day of Halloween. And when the day came she was thrilled. At this moment she was running to get the most candy possible. Her long auburn hair was flowing in the wind as she felt a gush of excitement. Meanwhile, Amelia was struggling to catch up with her.
Once the girls arrived at their last house Amelia was skeptical ,it was a house entirely made out of black cement with a brick roof. She had never seen a house like that. “ Are you sure we should knock? It seems kind of weird” Amelia said “ Of course, they have a pumpkin” Hazel responded “ A pumpkin means nothing” Amelia exclaimed, starting to walk in the opposite direction. Hazel pulled her arm before she could get far. Amelia made up her mind and decided just to go anyway.
“Ding Dong” the doorbell rang, after a couple seconds an old looking lady wearing a lace nightgown answered the door. “ Trick or treat!” The girls said, the lady handed them candy like any regular person would do, she even smiled. But when she smiled Amelia noticed something, she was missing a couple teeth, but she thought nothing of it. As the girls walked away Hazel said “ See, that wasn’t so bad” And then she took a bite of the Kit Kat the last house had given her. She felt something hard, very hard. And there it was… the old lady’s tooth!
THE END!!!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Honourable Mentions
Empty Candy Wrapper
By: Theia Taylor
Danielle and I are on the floor of her basement. We’re a little old to be trick-or-treating, sure, but we made do with face paint and now there’s a pile of candy between us. We’re halfway through Halloween when I turn to grab another chocolate bar.
It’s from a brand I don’t recognise. I tear the wrapper.
It’s empty. Weird.
Danielle turns to the side. “What’s up?”
“There’s no chocolate in this—” I shake it, and a piece of paper flutters down. I unfold it.
All that’s written on it are coordinates.
Thirty minutes later, my eyes are flickering between the paper, my map of town, and the steep hill in front of us. The location is just a bit further forward. The headlights of the car cast eerie light across the grass.
“Ellis, we should turn around, this seems dangerous—”
“Don’t be a coward.” I open the glove compartment and take out a flashlight. “We’ll walk.”
Despite her protests, she obliges. We slam our doors in unison, sending an echoing bang through the street.
“I still think—”
“We’ll be fine.” I take her hand and it’s slick with sweat. We climb the hill.
Once we reach the top, I look down into the valley beyond and spot the radio tower. It rises from the ground, dark and tall against the stars. My eyes trace the powerlines.
“Ellis, do you see that?”
“See what—” I slam my mouth shut.
At the base of the tower, the hazy figure of a girl in a white nightgown is standing where the coordinates sit, her dark hair hanging limp from her head. Her eyebrows are drawn together; her hands are balled into fists.
I manage see the blood running down her arms, staining the grass a sickly dark, just before we start running.
Ken and Kai Go to the Pet Store…and get a Surprise!
By Damien Bernard
Once upon a time two guys went to the pet store. Their names were Kai and Ken. Kai and Ken were friends and lived together in a nice house. They wanted to get a cute dog and decided to look at the new pet store that moved into the neighbourhood.
They walked to the store and noticed that it didn’t look very nice on the outside but still wanted to go look inside and see if there were any good puppies for them. When they went in there they saw a very tiny white puppy with a black nose.
Ken said “should we get that cute puppy?” Kai said “yeah sure, lets get him!” They brought the puppy home and named it Carter. At first everything was good.
A few days later, however, the puppy started acting weird. Carter kept growing, and growing and growing. One day his eyes turned red!! Carter the puppy was actually a monster that could transform and had binocular vision!
Kai and Ken were now terrified of their little puppy and had to leave their house and run away!! They went to the pet store and asked to return Carter the monster puppy. The people at the pet store said “no way!”
That is how Kai and Ken ended up living with Carter the Monster Puppy for the rest of their lives.