Charlie received an Achievement Award from Write4Fun for his poem "Autumn". The poem was then published in Write4Fun's The Inside Story, which includes the best poems and short stories from students across the country.

Charlie's mother Kara Bartlett said Charlie was elated to receive his copy of The Inside Story.

"It's very special for him to have a poem published in a book," she said.

READ MORE

"When it arrived it was great, you couldn't wipe the smile off his face."

Ms Bartlett said it was a particularly significant achievement for Charlie because of the obstacles he overcame.

"Charlie's actually dyslexic, so reading and writing doesn't come easily for him," she said.

"He's very creative and has great ideas, but for him to actually write down the words is a challenge."

Ms Bartlett said the school had been superb in aiding Charlie with his writing.

"He's had fantastic support from Ararat Primary School," she said.

"Nicole Kelly, who taught him last year, actually published her own book (Lament) last year, so that was very inspiring for the children.

"She really encouraged and supported him, and encouraged him to enter this poem."

If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to The Ararat Advertiser, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling Ararat's story. We appreciate your support of journalism in our great city.