Picture It! Junior Fiction Anthology 2026

A FUN (and a little bit spooky) OPPORTUNITY for Children’s Writers and Illustrators!

BOO-HAHA!

Get out your broompens and your hairiest concoctions of imagination (or true-life experiences!) for the next volume in our recent anthology series, Literally Hilarious!, because we’re dying for your 'scare-larious' short stories to give us a hearty cackle and a juicy chuckle to split our sides right open! Ew!

This year, we’re looking for ferociously funny stories that make junior fiction readers’ skin crawl and laugh-out-deafeningly-loud (with a little bit of love thrown in the mix, too! Aw.).

Here’s what you need to know:

OPEN: November 1, 2026

CLOSING: January 31, 2027

This anthology *might* be titled, ‘Literally Hilarious!; And a little bit spooky’ (Vol. 2), with the common theme of ‘funny AND spooky’. The short stories within the book are written for a junior fiction market, with plenty of humour, just enough spook for a small jump-scare, and heart at its core.
Do you have a true scary story that you look back on and laugh about? Or perhaps your wild imagination can take us to a dark place in your mind? We'd love to go there!

Selections will be chosen by an expert panel of authors and editors that best suit the theme, and as a working collection of diverse stories.

Funds raised enable projected outcomes to be met for editing, proofing, illustration, design, printing, marketing and distribution services. A percentage of funds and sales will be donated to our charity of choice, The Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

We can't wait to sink our teeth into your 'scare-larious' short stories! :)