Oct. 17, 2007

The Michigan Center for the Book invites students to share their experiences reading a book that touched their lives, as part of a national reading-writing contest called Letters About Literature.

For readers in grades 4 through 12, Letters About Literature is sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, in partnership with Target, and is coordinated on the state level by the Michigan Center for the Book. To enter, readers write a personal letter to an author, living or dead, from any genre - fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic - explaining how that author's work changed the student's way of thinking about the world or themselves.

"One of our goals is to promote a love of books and reading, and this program helps us accomplish that by engaging young readers to reflect on and discuss books that have had an impact on their own lives," said Michigan Center for the Book Coordinator Karren Reish.  "It also encourages students to develop writing skills and, through contributions to the winners' libraries, recognizes libraries for their important role in academic achievement."

Judges representing each state's Center for the Book will select the top essayists in the state on three competition levels: Level I for grades 4-6; Level II for grade 7 and 8, and Level III for grades 9-12. 

The three Michigan winners each will receive a $50 Target gift card, a $300 donation to their school library and a certificate of achievement. Each state winner will advance to the national competition, in which a panel of judges for the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress will then select six national winners (two per competition level) and 12 national runners-up (four per competition level). Each national winner will receive a $500 Target gift card and a Reading Promotion Grant of $10,000 for their school or community library. National winners will be instrumental in deciding how the library funds will be spent.  The 12 national runners-up will win a $100 Target gift card and a Reading Promotion Grant of $1,000 for their school or community library.

"To be able to give such a generous gift to his or her hometown or school library is an empowering experience for a young person," said Catherine Gourley, Letters About Literature's national project director. "The goal of these grants is not only to recognize our young readers but also to bring personal reading experiences to other young people across the country."

Entries will be assessed on three criteria: content, or the writer's achievement in addressing the contest theme; exposition, or the writer's use of language skills; and voice, the writer's style and originality of expression. 

Letters About Literature is one of the Center for the Book's most successful literacy programs for adolescents. Last year, more than 55,000 young people from across the nation entered the competition. 

"Yes, we do read every one of those letters!" Gourley said. "Some are very moving, very personal.  The competition is pretty stiff."  Letters that summarize the plot or are nothing more than fan letters are eliminated during the first round of judging, Gourley explained.

The deadline for entries is Dec. 14, 2007.  The Michigan Center for the Book has sent the contest guidelines to all school and public libraries in Michigan.  The guidelines and required entry coupon - as well teaching materials such as lesson plans, writing samples and assessment checklists - also are available on the Letters About Literature Web page at www.loc.gov/letters or via e-mail by contacting the national program director at lal@epix.net.

Target sponsors Letters About Literature as part of its as part of its commitment to supporting education and early childhood reading. Target recognizes the integral role reading plays in shaping a child's future, because reading is the foundation for life-long learning and success. Since opening its doors, Target has given five percent of its income to organizations that support education, the arts and safe families and communities.  Today that translates to $3 million every week.

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.

A program of the Library of Michigan and the center's affiliates, the Michigan Center for the Book aims to promote an awareness of books, reading, literacy, authors and Michigan's rich literary heritage.  For more information about the Michigan Center for the Book and its programs, visit www.michigan.gov/mcfb.

The Library of Michigan is part of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL).  Dedicated to enriching quality of life and strengthening the economy by providing access to information, preserving and promoting Michigan's heritage and fostering cultural creativity, the department also includes the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the Michigan Film Office and the Michigan Historical Center. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/hal.

Read more press releases from the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL).