PJ Our Way contest has a winner

Posted Sunday, May 9, 2021 9:25 pm

BY OLIVIA VILNER

My teeth chattered. The basement was freezing. The cold, drafty air felt icy against my skin. It bit me with no mercy. I stood on the top of the stairs, shivering. Did I really want to go down there? I discarded my flashlight because I found a light string on the ceiling. I gently gave it a tug, standing a long distance away, cautious of something heavy falling on my head. It happens in movies all the time. I felt relieved when no dumbbells fell on top of me. I started down the stairs, reassuringly glancing at the light of the open door then and now, reminding myself that the second I do it, I’ll go back. The steps creaked, causing me to jump. I drew in a deep breath and continued slowly creeping down the stairs. I scolded the ladder under my breath for startling me. I knew what I was walking into from the start, but never expected it to be so. . . so. . . so scary. Yet somehow, I had convinced myself to go on this daring mission. I grasped the rail in one hand steadying myself on the un-sturdy stairs. Soon I reached the bottom. Slowly but surely, I took the last step. The wood had rotted away and it fell under my weight. I screamed. The light decided to betray me and flickered as if they were a person taking their last breath, and slowly gave way. Turning off completely. Leaving me, in the dark...

In February as part of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island’s Behind the Book series, Jewish Book Council and PJ Our Way author Casey Breton spoke via Zoom with families about her new novel, “Going Rogue (At Hebrew School),” and how she goes about the writing process.  As a follow up to the event, tweens enrolled in the PJ Our Way program, the "next chapter" of the larger PJ Library program, were given the opportunity to submit entries to the first-ever Jewish Alliance/PJ Our Way writing contest. Entries had to be original, could be any topic of their choosing, fiction, and no more than 1,000 words. Breton agreed to be a judge and gave feedback to all of the young writers. Out of seven entries, Olivia Vilner, 11, of Lincoln, was chosen as the winner.