Start your story with a stern librarian scolding two characters for making noise in the library.

Posted in Middle School on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 116 stories

“Through the Memories we Go!” by Arwen Dove

Submitted to Contest #91

Alice and Tiger sat on the ground of the second floor of the Fairytale Library. They each held a book, with their left hand holding it in place, and their right hand positioned to turn the page. They sat there, the two of them, turning the pages of their books simultaneously, and reading the words from right to left, rather than from left to right. This by itself would have been unusual in most circumstances, but what was most puzzling about this scene was that neither Alice, nor Tiger were reading any words, for the pages were blank. N...

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“Buried deep” by Charli Britton

Submitted to Contest #91

I bite my thumb as I try to hold in laughter. But what makes me laugh more is the fact that I'm biting my thumb.Ian notices and gasps. “Thou shalt not bite thy thumb at moi!” He says a bit too loudly. Then he lowers his voice and his face turns somber. “I thought I taught you better than that.” It’s a mix of French and Shakespeare. My best friend is the weirdest person I know, but he is the only other person who willingly spends time at the library with me.“Ian, hush,” It’s all I can do to hold my laughter in as the librarian gives us dirty ...

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“Phones Off... Or Else.” by Shannon Ruane

Submitted to Contest #91

Phones Off...Or Else. Marching towards Mia and Jane, the town librarian was infuriated. Mr. Novelson generally overreacted regarding 'appropriate behavior' within the walls of his family's building. Silence is the most important rule of several library rules. Occasionally, he did have a point; chaos can be caused by noise. One Mid-October afternoon, Mia's phone rang on the loudest setting. The ridiculous ringtone played throughout the small library. Young and old, all visitors became too distracted by the strangely catchy tune to...

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“Lucky Dog” by H L McQuaid

Submitted to Contest #91

“You have any idea how this section is organised?” I ask, looking at the shelves lined with slim, emerald-coloured boxes that remind me of DVD cases. I pick one at random and read the label, ‘SER-☘️-🐕’“Hannah, I just work in the cafe here, I'm not a librarian," Lyra says, running pale fingers through her spiky purple hair.“Ladies, this is the Quiet Zone,” says a woman in a fitted grey suit with matching grey hair, pointing a dove-grey fingernail to the sign above our heads.I look up at the sign, then down to her name tag. “Sorry, Agnes. I ca...

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“Beat it” by Ari Berri

Submitted to Contest #91

“You two,” Ms. Miller snaps. “Are going to need to leave if you can’t be quiet.”Shadow snickers, and I kick him. “Sorry, Ms. Miller.”She huffs, and goes back to her desk.Shadow and I are in the library, because he said he has a great idea. Usually, his ideas are pretty good, though they tend to get us in trouble a lot.“So what’s this idea?” I ask.“Chill, I’ll tell you in a second.” He pauses, grinning. “How have I never thought of that? Chill, Chill.”I roll my eyes. “Very funny.”My name is Chill. No joke. I have pale skin, and long white hai...

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“Escape” by Sam Ackman

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #91

Standing on the edge of the ship, Alan could feel the cold spray of the ocean on his cheeks, the wind tug on his long hair, and the warm rays from an open sun on his face. The calls of other sailors were carried on the wind to Alan’s ears.“Land Ho!”The excitement started to buzz among the -“Larry and John! If you wish to remain in the library you will have this debate another time!” the woman behind the desk said, glaring at two boys sitting at a table with cards between them. Alan shoved his bookmark in his book, closed...

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“Reflection and Library Books” by Michael Boquet

Submitted to Contest #91

Just like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, when you're a kid, boredom grows in the summer.. Parents at work all day, leaving their children to fend for themselves with no money to spend and nothing but time on their hands. It was during such a summer, many years ago, that I first fell in love with libraries.Not content to just sit in front of the television, my friends and I would bike down to the local library. The library opened mid-morning and closed at Twilight, which was perfect because we all needed to Get Home Before Dark anyway.Sam, James, ...

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“An Old Sort of Library ” by Kathleen `Woods

Submitted to Contest #91

There was a stirring on the far end of the building, and Miss Naila wasn’t having it. Naila understood the variation in response that people had for the collection, but she would not have disrespect of the halls. So now at attention, she went about finding the source. As it turned out it was a pair of children, one bold, one meek. The meek one shivered at her appearance, which Miss Naila felt was good manners. “What is it that has you in this little Din?” The meek one cowered, as the Bold one said, “what’s it to you?” “I’m the librarian, tha...

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“The Witch in the Library” by Giselle Alexandra

Submitted to Contest #91

I stepped inside the dusty and silent library, my big sister, Miranda was beside me but it didn’t change anything. I was scared, really scared and it made me want to cry. Miranda passed me a book. " Come on scaredy-cat.” She laughs. (I don’t want to be mean but when she laughs it’s like your next to a wicked witch cackling.) I told her I wanted to get out and Miranda sighs. “Listen Melanie, Mum left Me in charge not You, ok? I whimpered, immediately regretting it. Miranda had heard me. “Cry baby” she chanted. I am used to her ...

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“Wells is the Answer” by Tim Law

Submitted to Contest #91

“I am sorry!” screeched my colleague Susan. “You may NOT use language like that while you are here, this is a PUBLIC place!” Susan was dressed like a witch, green face paint, warty and the daggers she gave the pair she was addressing were straight out of a Hollywood horror. It was Halloween, a day when the staff embraced the chance to play dress ups. I’d chosen my vampire costume with a smile on my dial that morning but by the afternoon my false teeth were lost and the Transylvanian accent had become little to scarce. The moment I saw the tr...

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“ Users’ needs” by Scott Skinner

Submitted to Contest #91

My name is Muggs, and I’m a librarian. I work in the Walnut Creek library, which is in downtown Walnut Creek, near Civic Park. It’s within walking distance of the Walnut Creek BART Station, and we get visitors from all over the East Bay. The library, which opened in July 2010, was funded through a public-private partnership and cost $34M. It’s a 42,00 square-foot building with a children’s wing and garden, a business and career center, a technology center, a 16-seat conference room, and a 150-seat meeting room named The Oak View. There ...

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“The Librarian and the Baby” by Charlie Murphy

Submitted to Contest #91

“Enough giggling already! This is the second time I warned you!”“I’m sorry. It's just that...”“I don't want to hear it,” Ms. Bickhaus interrupted me.“OK, we’ll stop.”“Thank you.” Ms. Bickhaus walked away.I burped again.“You're a naughty little boy,” Beth said.“Yes… I… am.” I burped.“Stop!”“Ok, I’ll stop now.”She continued working on her paper.“That girl has big boobies!” I whispered in her ear.I saw a glimmer of a smile before she covered her mouth and waved me away.I pulled my lower eyelid down so red showed.“Oh, my God!” she whispered...

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“Chocolate and Vanilla (the sequel to "Grace Under Pressure")” by Philip Clayberg

Submitted to Contest #91

Grace and I just barely got inside Dandridge Library before the rain really started pouring. Our hair and minidresses were mostly dry, but our backpacks were a bit damp. I know, I know. We should've brought an umbrella along. But we just wanted to have a nice walk around downtown Dandridge after school before heading to our respective homes.After we put our backpacks on the floor next to a coat rack and umbrella holder near the front doors, we looked outside, pointing at the dark sky and the flashes of lightning. Every so often we could hear...

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“Hippopotamus” by Link Arneson

Submitted to Contest #91

“I’m sorry, we’ll try to keep it down,” Mom said to the librarian. “She gets excited at the end. Honey, let’s use our inside voices, okay?” “Okay,” I said. Then whispered, still with the same fervor, “But YES the hippopotamus!” “That’s a great book,” the librarian said. They had short hair and square glasses, and looked really tall and imposing standing over the little table we were sitting at in the kids’ section. “I used to read my nephew all of Boynton.” “It’s her favorite,” Mom said. “She loves saying hippopotamus.” “It’s a big word,” th...

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“Unfinished conversation ” by Riya Jadia

Submitted to Contest #91

"Can you read the sign silence please ?" "Yes", I said. "So are you air headed?" "She sounds really mad on us " I whispered in my friend's ear, I told her that the nicest thing we could do was leave soon as possible or she might cancel our subscription completely. Jess and I decided to meet in a cafe and chat for a while about few things that were going wrong in our friendship. I was very excited, I washed my hair, slept early the day ago, chose a cute outfit and chose my makeup thoughtfully. My sister Kassey knew that I had a huge crush o...

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Start your story with a stern librarian scolding two characters for making noise in the library.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 116 stories

“Through the Memories we Go!” by Arwen Dove

“Buried deep” by Charli Britton

“Phones Off... Or Else.” by Shannon Ruane

“Lucky Dog” by H L McQuaid

“Beat it” by Ari Berri

“Escape” by Sam Ackman

“Reflection and Library Books” by Michael Boquet

“An Old Sort of Library ” by Kathleen `Woods

“The Witch in the Library” by Giselle Alexandra

“Wells is the Answer” by Tim Law

“ Users’ needs” by Scott Skinner

“The Librarian and the Baby” by Charlie Murphy

“Chocolate and Vanilla (the sequel to "Grace Under Pressure")” by Philip Clayberg

“Hippopotamus” by Link Arneson

“Unfinished conversation ” by Riya Jadia

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone going to extreme lengths to return an overdue library book.

Write about a character who meticulously catalogs everything in their life, until something disrupts their system.

Set your story in a library, after hours.

Write about a character stumbling upon a library book that changes the course of their life, for better or worse.

Contest #91

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

770

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: