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May 28, 2008
Letters About Literature contest winners announced
University Park, PA—The Pennsylvania Center for the Book announces the Pennsylvania winners of the 2008 Letters About Literature contest, a nationwide event sponsored by the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress and Target Stores. This contest invites students in three grade categories to wri
te letters to authors—living or dead—explaining how the author’s words affected them or their world view. Maddie Roach of Malvern wins the Level I prize, grades four through six, writing to J. K. Rowling about her series of Harry Potter books; Carly Houlahan of Rosemont wins the Level II award, grades seven and eight, writing to Dr. Seuss about Oh, The Places You’ll Go!; and Samantha Weber of Freeport wins the Level III award, grades nine through twelve, writing to Elie Wiesel about Night. Winners receive a $150 cash prize and a $50 gift certificate from Target.
Target Stores sponsors the Letters About Literature contest. Target Stores, along with its parent company Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT), gives back more than $2 million a week to its local communities through grants and special programs. Since opening its first store in 1962, Target has partnered with nonprofit organizations, guests and team members to help meet community needs.
Level I honor of high distinction, which includes a cash award of $50 goes to Claire Lacon of Blue Bell, writing to Judy Blume about Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Level I honorable-mention winners are: Amanda Allred of Thorndale, writing to Jane Langton about The Fledgling; Alicia Schapire of Media, writing to James Bradley about Flags of Our Fathers; Dean Ward of Media, also writing to James Bradley about Flags of Our Fathers; Hannah Tobin of Pittsburgh, writing to Wilson Rawls for Where the Red Fern Grows; and Anna Jane Williams of West Chester, writing to Jean Fritz about Homesick: My Own Story.
Level II honorable-mention winners are: Alexandra Richardson of Moon Township writing to Lisa See about Snow Flower and the Secret Fan; Beverly A. Wagner of Middleburg, writing to C.S. Lewis about The Chronicles of Narnia; Lindsay Hummell of Harleysville, writing to Kate DiCamillo about Because of Winn-Dixie, Amanda Armstrong of Coatesville, writing to Khidhir Hamza about Saddam’s Bombmaker: The Daring Escape of the Man Who Built Iraq’s Secret Weapon; and Virginia Small of Rosemont, writing to Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings about The Yearling.
Level III honorable-mention winners are: Courtney Robel, writing to Christie Pettit for Starving: A Personal Journey Through Anorexia, Rachel Lohr of Newtown, writing to Henry David Thoreau about Walden; Joseph Arguelles of Dingmans Ferry, writing to Orson Scott Card for Ender’s Game; Jane Brendlinger of Swarthmore, writing to Ian McEwan about Saturday; and Esha Karki of New Castle, writing to S.E. Hinton about Tex.
Letters About Literature contest judges were Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Newbery award-winning author from Moscow; Anna Eichner, a former Letters About Literature winner and student at Grove City College; Maggie Herb, assistant director, Writing Center, Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Nancy Leuschner, a retired English and Humanities teacher from Harrisburg; Kara Robertson, a data management coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh; and David Rockower, a sixth-grade teacher at Mount Nittany Middle School from Boalsburg.
For more information about the contest and awards, please contact Caroline Wermuth, outreach coordinator, at 814-863-5472 or Karla M. Schmit, assistant director, at 814-863-5521. Visit the Pennsylvania Center for the Book website at www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu.