BANGOR – Maine PBS still is accepting entries from young artists and writers for its 10th annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest.

The national contest is open to pupils in kindergarten through third grade who write and illustrate their own stories. Entries should include five original color illustrations. Stories will be judged separately by grade level and must be sent to Maine PBS by March 31.

Each child who submits an entry will receive a certificate of achievement signed by Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton and a chance to win national prizes such as Reading Rainbow DVDs and books. The stories of the national winners will be posted on the PBS Kids Reading Rainbow Web site.

Contest rules and official entry forms must be used to enter the competition and may be downloaded from the Maine PBS Web site at www.mainepbs.org, or by calling Audiences Services at (800) 884-1717.

Maine PBS will award prizes to the first-, second- and third-place winners in each grade and will enter the first-place winning entries into the national competition. Maine PBS also will hold a celebration party for the 12 local winners and their families, and post the children’s work on its Web site.