Thursday, October 20, 2011

Letters about Literature Contest for Young Readers


JEFFERSON – A book is more than just a collection of words. A book can have a direct and concrete impact on a life. For children and youth, a book can help them transcend difficult situations — like bullying, peer pressure or prejudice, or help them cope with loss and disappointment.
Letters about Literature (LAL) is a writing contest for young readers in grades 4 – 12, sponsored by the Library of Congress and Wisconsin Center for the Book. Students write a letter to an author of a fiction or nonfiction book, a short story, poem, essay or speech describing how the work changed the students’ view of the world or themselves. Entries are judged at both the state and national levels and prizes are awarded for the best letter at various grade levels. 
LAL awards thousands of dollars each year through state and national prizes, as well as LAL library grants. Last year, 70,000 young people from around the United States entered including more than 750 from Wisconsin.
Details for the program can be found on the Web site: www.lettersaboutliterature.org. The site also outlines lesson plans for teachers who want to incorporate the contest into their curriculum.
The postmark deadline for submissions is January 6, 2012.
Contact Mary Lou Santovec, Coordinator, 948 S. Main St., Jefferson WI 53549; msantovec@yahoo.com or 920-674-5280 for more information.

No comments: