AUBURN – Two young authors who won the Auburn Book Project will sign their books at Walden Books in the Auburn Mall from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

The winners are Collum Freedman, 11, who wrote “An Orphan’s Voyage,” and Katie Naum, 12, who wrote “One Happy Camper.” The annual contest is sponsored by the Auburn School Department’s enrichment program, open to fifth- and sixth-grade students whose teachers have noticed they like to write, said enrichment teacher Carrie Beaulieu.

The annual contest started in 2000 to give students a real life experience as an author, Beaulieu said. Students submitting their books have to write, illustrate, edit and publish the works and then do follow-up work such as sales and book signing.

Typically the annual contest produces one winner, but last June judges found two books that tied for first place. Both winners are seventh-graders at the Auburn Middle School, and were in the sixth grade last year when they wrote their books.

Freedman’s “The Orphan’s Voyage” is an historical fiction about a young orphan who sailed with Sir Francis Drake on the Golden Hind.

Drake was knighted by Queen Elizabeth aboard the ship in 1581, and hailed as the first Englishman to circle the Earth. In writing his book, Freedman did historical research. “He’s a history buff,” Beaulieu said. He’s the son of Sanford and Danielle Freedman.

Naum’s “One Happy Camper” is a children’s fiction book about a mouse, Monty, camping in Bar Harbor’s Acadia Park. For her book Naum researched the park, and has gone there frequently. “Her book came out of her personal experiences,” Beaulieu said. She’s the daughter of Susan and Jeff Naum.

About 80 fifth- and sixth-graders wrote and submitted their books to the contest. Of those submissions, there were seven finalists, including the two co-winners.

Students began writing their books in February and finished in May.

– Bonnie Washuk