Bento children’s magazine publishes (fiction, non-fiction, poetry) in print four times a year. For submitting your stories to the issue, please follow the following guidelines carefully. We accept 500-word stories that appeal to our middle grade readers (8-12 years) and families. Submissions are open to adults aged 21+ years globally.
For 2026-27, we will be accepting stories on the following themes:
- Strictly No Elephants (theme: inclusion/ access)
- Here and Now (theme: mindfulness/ presence)
- Fish in a Tree (theme: leadership/ against the odds)
- In a Nutshell (theme: forests/regeneration)
Guidelines:
Please note that submitting your work does not guarantee publication.
We accept previously unpublished stories (unless we’ve reached you for a book excerpt). Please do not use any AI tools that automate or improve your story. At this time, we are not paying story contributors and we do not charge a reading fee. All contributors receive a complimentary print copy.
If we select your submission for publication, you grant us exclusive rights for three months and credit us as the original publisher. We may use your story for social media promotions, for future audio, or print anthologies with credits.
Please do not submit stories with potty humor or violence. Try to present harsh truths with levity, we like our stories to inspire and create joy!
If you’re ready to submit, please send your stories here.