Alaska Center for the Book Launches
“Letters About Literature 2009”

Students in grades 4 through 12 are invited to enter Letters About Literature 2009, a national writing contest sponsored by Alaska Center for the Book and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress in partnership with Target Stores. The contest deadline is December 6, 2008.

To enter, students must write a letter to an author – living or dead – explaining how his or her work changed their view of the world or themselves.

The contest has three competition levels: Level I is open to students in grades 4 through 6; Level II is open to students in grades 7-8; and Level III is open to students in grades 9-12.

Each letter must be accompanied by an official entry coupon or copy of one. Entry coupons will be available at your local, participating library or online at the Alaska Center for the Book web site at www.alaskacenterforthebook.org. Guidelines and teaching supplements are also available for teachers, parents, or librarians at the site.

Alaska state winners at each level will receive a $100 cash prize plus a $50 Target gift card (good also at target.com). They also advance to national competition.

Six national winners (two per competition level) and 12 national runners-up (four per competition level) will be selected. Each national winner will receive a $500 Target GiftCard. In addition, they will win a Reading Promotion Grant of $10,000 for their school or community library. The 12 national runners-up will win a $100 Target GiftCard, plus they will win a Reading Promotion Grant of $1,000 for their school or community library.

Statewide judges include: Derick Burleson, poet, Fairbanks; Mary Jo Joiner, director, Kenai Community Library; Ernestine Hayes, author, Juneau; Patty Christensen, librarian, Talkeetna; and others. This is the eleventh year for Letters About Literature here in Alaska.