Cheerios® Searches for the Next Great Children's Book Author

MINNEAPOLIS, May 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Do your own kids love the stories you tell? Have you dreamed of becoming an author of a children's book? This is your chance! Cheerios^® is calling all aspiring children's book authors to enter the Spoonfuls of Stories^® Author Contest. Never-before-published authors are encouraged to write and submit an original story for a book for children between the ages of 2 – 8 years old (see Rules for complete details).

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130514/NY13118LOGO )

The Spoonfuls of Stories^® Author Contest grand prize includes $5,000 – plus the winning story could be featured in specially-marked boxes of Cheerios cereal in 2015 and be published by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.

In 2011, Celeste Jenkins won the Grand prize.  Her story, The Lost (and found) Balloon, is now being distributed free in paperback inside Cheerios cereal boxes nationwide. The hard cover will be sold in retail through Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing in June.

"Winning the Spoonfuls of Stories contest was very exciting," Jenkins said from her home in Madison, Wis. "It's amazing to see my whimsical tale of a floating balloon in Cheerios cereal boxes and I can't wait to see it on store shelves next month."

You can see Jenkins' book come to life on www.spoonfulsofstories.com.

Previous winners of the Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories Author Contest include:

• "Can I Just Take a Nap?" By Ron Raus
• "How Do You Hug a Porcupine?" By Laurie Isop
• "1 Zany Zoo" by Lori Degman
• "The Great Dog Wash" by Shellie Braeuner

Authors can submit their original stories now through July 31, 2013 at www.spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com. In addition to the grand prize, two (2) First Runner-Up Prizes of $1000 each will be awarded. The stories of the First Runner-Up Prize winners will appear on www.spoonfulsofstories.com. Official contest rules are available at www.spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com/rules.

About Cheerios®

Cheerios, America's No. 1 cereal, debuted in 1941 as Cheerioats.  The nation's first ready-to-eat oat cereal has since become one of the most trusted and recognized brands in America.  In fact, one of every 10 boxes of cereal sold in America is a box of Cheerios.  General Mills' popular franchise includes Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Multi Grain Cheerios, Multi Grain Cheerios Peanut Butter, Chocolate Cheerios, Frosted Cheerios, Cinnamon Burst Cheerios, Fruity Cheerios, Apple Cinnamon Cheerios, Dulce de Leche Cheerios, Yogurt Burst Cheerios, Banana Nut Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch.  Cheerios also has a publishing division that includes the popular Cheerios Play Books and other activity books.  For more information, go to www.cheerios.com.

About General Mills

General Mills is one of the world's leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries. Its consumer brands include Cheerios, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Progresso and Old El Paso. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills had fiscal 2012 net sales of US $16.7 billion.

About Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, a part of the CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.

SOURCE Cheerios