CLiF’s 2026 Two-Sentence Story Contest
By CLiF Staff
Welcome to CLiF’s 2026 Two-Sentence Story Contest! Open to all children 12 and under in Vermont and New Hampshire, this writing competition is designed to reward both creativity and brevity. It is free to enter, and prizes will be awarded in each of four age groups. The deadline to enter is Friday, April 17. (Please see below for more details.)
And now, without further ado, here is this year’s challenge:
Using Only Two Sentences, Tell Us a Tall Tale.
Have you ever been fooled by an April Fool’s prank? If so, you’re not alone! Over the last 75 years, a number of major media outlets and big companies have gone to great lengths on April 1st to deceive as many people as possible with hilarious hoaxes and practical jokes. Here are a few examples:
- In 1957, the BBC aired a three-minute segment that showed Swiss farmers purportedly harvesting spaghetti from trees. This is believed to be one of the first-ever televised pranks. Hundreds of viewers called the network asking how they could grow their own pasta crops, and were disappointed to learn they’d fallen for a hoax.
- In 1976, astronomer Sir Patrick Moore announced on BBC Radio 2 that a rare alignment of Pluto and Jupiter would cause a temporary reduction in Earth’s gravity, and that anyone who jumped at exactly 9:47am would experience weightlessness. At 9:48am, the station was flooded with calls from listeners who claimed to have floated. The news that it was a hoax quickly brought them back down to earth.
- In 1996, Taco Bell announced that it had purchased the historic Liberty Bell to help pay off the U.S. national debt, and that they would be renaming it the “Taco Liberty Bell.” The National Park Service, which was not in on the joke, received thousands phone calls from concerned citizens until the truth was revealed.
- In 2013, Google announced the launch of a new product - Google Nose - which would allow users to search for smells on the Internet. By bringing their nose close to their screen or mobile device and pressing the “Smell” button, they would be able to experience the scent. (While this was fiction at the time, so-called “Smelltech” may very well become a reality some day!)
- In 2016, National Geographic announced on Twitter that it would no longer publish pictures of naked animals. Readers who clicked the link were taken to an adorable collection of vintage photos of animals in fancy attire.
Can you fool us in just two sentences? Apart from the length requirement, the only rule is that your tall tale must be an original story straight out of your own imagination.
Download Our Printable Template
Who can enter?
Entry is free, and open to all Vermont and New Hampshire kids ages 12 and under!
The Prizes!
A panel of CLiF judges will choose the top entry in each age category:
-
Kindergarten and below
-
Grades 1 and 2
-
Grades 3 and 4
-
Grades 5 and 6
Each winner will receive a three book mini-library, customized to their age and interests!
Additional Details:
Each entry must contain:
-
Author’s name, age, grade, school, hometown and state
-
Submitting adult’s name, relationship to author, contact email
To enter, use the printable template provided (optional) or supplies of your own. Make sure you include the required information!
Entries may be scanned and emailed to communications@clifonline.org, or mailed to:
CLiF Two-Sentence Story Contest
3579 Waterbury-Stowe Road
Waterbury Center, VT 05677
Entries must be either received by email or postmarked by Friday, April 17, 2026.
Fine print: Entries submitted to CLiF will not be returned. CLiF reserves the right to publish entries on our website, social media, and any other CLiF platforms. Authors will be identified by first name, last initial; age/grade; and location, unless anonymity is requested. We look forward to reading your work!