Announcing the Winners of Our Frankenstein Short Story Contest

By Rachel Roseberry, Associate Director, Young Adult Programs and Services
May 31, 2024
Cover of an anthology titled "The Fate of Frankenstein: Stories Inspired by The New York Public Library's Treasures"

In January, The New York Public Library launched a special contest aiming to connect creative New York City teens to the inspirational power of its research collections. Grounded in the Fate of Frankenstein display within the Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures, the Frankenstein Short Story Contest invited NYC teens to do as Mary Shelley did over 200 years ago, and use a dream or nightmare as the basis for a story.

We are excited to announce the 10 winners of this contest selected from a pool of 120 submissions. Read all 10 winners in a digital anthology here.

Younger Teen Winners (ages 13–15)

  • “Best Friend”  – by Dahlia Clark-Gercke, 15 | overall winner
  • “Hello, World!” – by Elizabeth Burnell, 15 | runner up
  • “Project Eden” – by Seraphina Duclayan, 14 | honorable mention
  • “Pieces” – by Violet Montclare, 14 | honorable mention
  • “Midnight Pee” – by Eloise Barrada, 14 | honorable mention

Older Teen Winners (ages 16–19)

  • “To hope till Hope creates” – by Yoojung Shin, 18 | overall winner
  • “The Black Manse: Fantastical Allegory” – by Zane Mills VanWicklen, 17 | runner up
  • “Echoes Below” – by Ying Chen, 17 | honorable mention
  • “Growing Up” – by Ianna Banfield, 18 | honorable mention
  • “A letter to my maker” – by Emily Jayne, 19 | honorable mention


The Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures
For more than 125 years, The New York Public Library has collected, preserved, and made accessible the world’s knowledge. Now, for the first time, the Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures showcases some of the most extraordinary items from the 56 million in our collections, inspiring and empowering visitors to discover, learn, and create new knowledge—today and in the years ahead. Learn more: nypl.org/treasures

Teen Voices at NYPL
At the Library, we believe that what teens have to say matters. Through our free programs and events, our dedicated Teen Centers across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, and the opportunities we offer to have your work published, we provide an array of ways for you to make your voice heard. Learn more: nypl.org/teens