Alicante’s Booksellers and Stationers Association runs a longtime Youth Story Competition that has become a local staple. For nineteen years it has drawn thousands of students from the region, typically attracting about 15,000 participants each year.
The contest carries a strong cultural focus and targets schools across the province with the aim of promoting reading, writing, and cultural engagement among students enrolled in Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO). Over the years, the event has broadened to include younger participants from ages 12 to 15, expanding its educational reach. The association’s president notes a crucial window of educational development for these youths and reminds participants of the submission deadline set for March 31, 2024.
What makes the competition especially notable is its emphasis on original short stories written by the students themselves, in both Spanish and Valencian. After the stories are submitted, a panel of experts, including the association’s own team, reviews and selects the entries. The chosen works are compiled into an annual volume, with the 2024 edition marking a new milestone. All selected students receive books, diplomas, and cups, and the published volume becomes available for sale in local bookstores across the province.
Bookstores in Alicante give annual awards to the best young adult stories
The volume’s formal presentation is typically held at a major local venue, such as the Alicante Provincial Council’s ADDA Auditorium, drawing hundreds of attendees. In recent years, about 1,200 guests have attended, with awards distributed for seven selected stories: first, second, and third prizes, two runner-up prizes, and a special bookstore award.
As López Vizcaíno puts it, the event is a unique opportunity to celebrate young writing talent, acknowledge creative effort, and share the authors’ work with a wider audience. The recognition also includes the fulfillment of seeing a student’s story published in a real book.
Registration and raffle
Entries must be submitted by March 1, and registration opens on the Alicantelibros.com website. The association highlights the importance of getting students to sign up early. At the December 15 registration milestone, the organized effort included two book bundles from complete collections representing the eighteenth year of the literary contest, underscoring the competition’s enduring legacy.