AIM Student Publishing Contest

Do your students love to write and illustrate? Would they like to have their work published?

Because AIM’s literacy-based approach is so effective at helping students develop oral and written proficiency, we want to ensure that students have opportunities for purposeful writing!

Over the past few years, we have received wonderful submissions from students and published a number of new readers: story extensions based on AIM Kits. We are looking to publish two more outstanding works of student creative writing, combined with student artwork, as part of our AIM 2027 readers’ series.

What to submit

  • Engaging story extensions based on AIM plays, minimum 800 words.
  • Large, bold illustrations, centred on 8½ × 11-inch pages. The student author or another student artist at the same school may be the illustrator.
  • Picture book: 20 pages containing text and 20 different illustrations.
  • Chapter book: one illustration per chapter; longer than 2,000 words.

How to submit

🖼 Picture book

Scan and email the typed and edited story manuscript, clearly indicating an equal division into 20 parts, and the 20 illustrations. Include author(s), illustrator(s) if different, and school name.

📖 Chapter book

Scan and email the typed and edited story manuscript, clearly indicating division into chapters, and one illustration per chapter. Include author(s), illustrator(s) if different, and school name.

Entry limits and judging

Teachers may send a maximum of two entries per school. A maximum of two authors and two illustrators may participate per submission.

Judging criteria:

  • Creativity
  • Detail
  • Humour
  • Interesting inclusion of characters from other AIM plays
  • Positive message or moral
  • Beautiful, colourful illustrations
  • Best combination of story and artwork submitted

Important dates

  • Register your intention to submit with Wendy Maxwell at wendy@aimlanguagelearning.com by December 1, 2026.
  • Story and illustration submission window: January 15 to February 15, 2027.
  • Finalists announced March 1, 2027.
  • Winner announced March 15, 2027.

Prizes

Winners receive for their school a set of AIM digital readers and a one-year subscription to the AIM Student Portal. Student authors and illustrators receive an honorarium (maximum four recipients).