The Missing Hearing Aid

Elliot and his class with the books he won!

I am a hearing aid, Freddie’s hearing aid. My identical twin Eddie and I love our job of being hearing aids. Every day Freddie will wake up, put us in his ears and walk to school, or on weekends Freddie will take us on adventures to the forest or to the park! One thing I love about Freddie is how he is such a keen boy always ready to put his hand up in class and always trying his hardest in life even when being deaf makes things a little bit harder.

One day Freddie was excited about going canoeing down a river for the first time. I wasn’t too sure because hearing aids break in water. Despite my worries, it was quite peaceful. Just as I was getting comfortable watching Freddie enjoy himself, we bobbed past an overhanging branch, I got caught on it and was wrenched out of Freddie’s ear. I silently plopped into the water. “Nooooo," I whistled. Freddie was frantically searching for me but it was too late. Slowly I drifted round a corner and away from Freddie.

It was some time later that I realised that I had reached the mouth of the river and would surely break in the rough seas. All of a sudden, I could feel myself being picked up and lifted into the air. I couldn't believe my luck; I will not get broken in the rough seas! “Oh, I will get eaten by baby birds instead." As I watched the fields beneath me zoom by, I thought of how upset Freddie must be now he could only hear with Eddie.

Just as I wondered if I will ever see Freddie again, I saw a shop I recognised. "That’s Freddie’s favourite shop Toys, Toys and More Toys!" I saw a person I recognised too. “That was Freddie’s neighbour. I know this place, this is Freddie’s town!” I whistled so loudly that the bird dropped me. “Ouch,” I mumbled. “Wait, this is Freddie’s house and I am on his doormat! Now all I need to do is wait for Freddie to open the door and hope that no magpies spot me."

Luckily I didn't have to wait long, Freddie’s mum opened the door for the delivery man and shouted for Freddie to come and see the miracle that had just happened with his lost hearing aid. Freddie was at the door in seconds; he picked me up, brushed me off and put me in his ear. “Ah, nice to be back in Freddie’s comfortable ear.”

At night Freddie puts me on his bedside table and when Freddie is asleep I told Eddie about my adventure. Then I asked Eddie if he would change his job being a hearing aid. “I might for some jobs but I do love being a hearing aid,” replied Eddie. “I wouldn’t,” I told Eddie. “After all, who could ask for a better job than being the one responsible for changing lives like Freddie’s."

One of our judges Julia Donaldson CBE said: "An original story full of twists and turns. I thought the hearing aid made a great hero!"