Young authors’ books will be published, distributed across state

Two imaginative and adventurous books, authored and illustrated by South Carolina elementary school students, have emerged as winners of this year’s South Carolina Children’s Book Challenge.

In the group division, Uncle Phil and the Electric Adventure, crafted by fifth-graders Sadie Gamble, Ellafair DuRant, Railyn Joyner, and Kayden Crisanti from Laurence Manning Academy, secured the top honor. Ansley Gratzmiller, a fourth-grader at Buist Academy for Advanced Studies, took home the individual prize for her captivating tale, Electra, A Girl’s Journey to Electrical Safety.

Both winning entries earned their creators a $500 grand prize and will be published and distributed to schools across South Carolina.

Sponsored by the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, the Children’s Book Challenge encouraged students statewide to create engaging children’s books emphasizing electrical safety. Local electric cooperatives, including Black River Electric and Berkeley Electric, selected books to compete at the state level.