Home
One Book, One W.Va.
Letters About Literature
In Their Own Country
Children's Book Award
Photo Gallery
News & Changes
Links
Literary Map

Funding for this project is provided by the Library Services and Technology Act administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the West Virginia Library Commission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


WEST VIRGINIA CENTER FOR THE BOOK ANNOUNCES A CALL FOR STUDENT ENTRIES IN NATIONAL WRITING CONTEST

State Winners Will Advance for National Competition

September 1, 2006

Contact: Karen Goff, Coordinator
Center for the Book
Phone: 304-558-3978

Charleston, West Virginia--Student submissions to Letters About Literature (LAL), a national writing contest sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress presented in partnership with Target, and sponsored locally by the West Virginia Center for the Book, are now being accepted. To enter, young readers write a letter to an author, past or present, describing how that author’s work somehow changed the student’s view of the world or of himself/herself. The contest, which focuses on reader response and reflective writing, has three competition levels: Level 1 for students in grades 4-6; Level 2 for students in grades 7 and 8; and Level 3 for students in grades 9-12. Top honors on the state level each receive a cash award as well as a $50 Target GiftCard. Six national finalists and their parents will travel to Washington, DC., courtesy of Target, where the finalists will read their letters during the National Book Festival in the fall of 2007. The national winners also receive a $500 Target GiftCard.

More than 48,000 adolescent and young adult readers nationwide in grades 4 through 12 participated in the 2006 Letters About Literature program. LAL is an annual program and past writers are encouraged to submit again. West Virginia Center for the Book publishes and distributes a booklet containing the top letters, including those from Top Honors, Honors, Honorable Mentions and the names of Notable Mentions.

Target sponsors Letters About Literature as part of its national reading initiative, "Ready. Sit. Read!," which is aimed at fostering a love of reading among children at an early age. Since opening its first store in 1962, Target has partnered with nonprofit organizations, guests and team members to help meet community needs.

The Center for the Book was established in 1977 as a public-private partnership to use the resources of the Library of Congress to stimulate public interest in books and reading. For information about its activities and national reading promotion networks, visit www.loc.gov/cfbook.

All entries must be received by December 8, 2006. Teachers can download the official how-to-enter guidelines and receive a free copy in Adobe of the LAL teacher’s guide, which includes lesson plans, blackline masters, and assessment checklists at West Virginia Center for the Book website, www.wvcenterforthebook.lib.wv.us or the national LAL website, www.loc.gov/letters. For additional information about the program in West Virginia, contact WVCFTB Coordinator Karen Goff at 304-558-3978.

- 30 -



 


For More Information Contact:

West Virginia Center for the Book
1900 Kanawha Blvd. E., Cultural Center, Charleston, West Virginia 25305
Tel: 304-558-3978
FAX: 304-558-1612
Internet: goffk@wvlc.lib.wv.us

Home Contact WVLC           
Copyright © 2004 West Virginia Center for the Book
Last modified: 09/16/08