By JOHN Y. COLE
The six national winners of the Center for the Book's annual "Letters About Literature" program will read their winning letters in the "Teens & Children" Pavilion at the fourth annual National Book Festival on Oct. 9 on the National Mall. The students, their parents and a teacher will be brought to Washington by Target Stores, the sole "Letters About Literature" national retail sponsor. Target is also presenting each national winner with a $500 Target GiftCard.
Left, Mary-Caitlin Harding, the national level II (middle school) winner, received her state award in June at the Mark Twain House in Hartford, Conn., during a ceremony arranged by the Connecticut Center for the Book; right, the Massachusetts Center for the Book arranged a ceremony honoring Gregory Tellier, its state level III (secondary school) winner, whose award was presented by Massachusetts Lt. Governor Kerry Healy. Tellier also won the national level III award.
A national reading and writing program, "Letters About Literature" invites young readers in grades 4-12 to write a personal letter to an author, past or present, who has somehow changed their view of the world or themselves. The program has three competition levels: upper elementary school, middle school and secondary, with state and national winners at each level. At each level, "Letters About Literature" aims to encourage young readers to explore their personal response to a book and then express that response in a creative, original way.
![California's Letters About Literature winners at the California Center for the Book's annual Books Change Lives awards ceremony, held at the Sacramento Tsakopoulos Library Galleria on May 20. From left, Altaf Saadi (level III), Alex Bland (level II), and Alexandra Dwight (level I). The ceremony also presented California's first Books Change Lives Award to author Pam Muñoz Ryan, whose novel "Esperanza Rising" inspired California students to enter Letters About Literature.](images/cfb_3.jpg)
California's Letters About Literature winners at the California Center for the Book's annual Books Change Lives awards ceremony, held at the Sacramento Tsakopoulos Library Galleria on May 20. From left, Altaf Saadi (level III), Alex Bland (level II), and Alexandra Dwight (level I). The ceremony also presented California's first Books Change Lives Award to author Pam Muñoz Ryan, whose novel "Esperanza Rising" inspired California students to enter Letters About Literature.
Forty-one state centers for the book participated in the 2003-2004 program, which was directed by Center for the Book consultant Catherine Gourley. More than 40,000 letters were received, read and judged. The state winners were listed and congratulated on April 23 in a full-page announcement in USA Today. Many of the state winners read their letters at ceremonies this spring at various state capitals and state literary landmarks. The six national winners were chosen from among the state winners by a special panel of judges.
The six national winners, the authors to whom they addressed their letters and the titles of the books are: Gregory Tellier, a student at St. Bernard's High School in Fitchburg, Mass., who wrote to Valerie Tripp, author of "Kit Learns a Lesson"; Adam Jackson, a student at Lakeshore Middle School in Mooresville, N.C., who wrote to Ben Mikaelsen, author of "Petey"; Mary-Caitlin Harding, a student at Whisconier Middle School in Brookfield, Conn., who wrote to Hans Christian Andersen, author of "The Little Match Girl"; Jackson Fisher, a student at Morley Elementary in Lincoln, Neb., who wrote to Carl Hiaasen, author of "Hoot"; Hannah Catabia, a student at St. Mary's Academy in Riverside, R.I., who wrote to Erich Maria Remarque, author of "All Quiet on the Western Front"; and T.J. Cienki, a student at Hanaford Elementary in East Greenwich, R.I., who wrote to Avi, author of "Crispin: The Cross of Lead."
For further information concerning "Letters About Literature" and the 2004-2005 competition (deadline for entries is Dec. 4), visit the "Letters About Literature" Web site at www.loc.gov/letters or call the Center for the Book at (202) 707-5221.
John Y. Cole is the director of the Center for the Book.