Letters About Literature (LAL), a national reading and writing promotion program of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, invites young readers in grades 4-12 to enter this year’s LAL letter writing competition. Young readers simply write a personal letter to an author explaining how that author’s work somehow changed the readers’ view of their world.
LAL awards both state and national prizes on three competition levels: Level 1 for children in grades 4-6; Level 2 for children in grades 7-8; and Level 3 for children in grades 9-12. Six national winners will each receive cash awards and will nominate a school or community library to receive a $10,000 LAL Reading Promotion grant. Twelve national honor winners will likewise receive cash awards and also nominate a school or community library to receive a $1,000 LAL Reading Promotion grant.
Teachers, librarians and parents can download free teaching materials on reader response and reflective writing, including blackline masters and assessment checklists, at the LAL website.
www.lettersaboutliterature.org.
Submission deadline is December 10. State winners will be notified in March 2011 and national winners by mid-April.
For more information, contact National Project Director Catherine Gourley at (570) 675-3052 or
lal@epix.net.