Letters About Literature contest now underway

The Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana announces the 25th annual Letters About Literature contest, a Library of Congress national reading and writing competition for students in grades 4-12 and coordinated in state by the Louisiana Center. To enter, fourth through 12th grade students write personal letters to authors, living or dead, explaining how the authors’ book, poem, play, or speech changed the students’ views of the world or themselves.

Students may enter through their schools or local libraries, or on their own, in one of three competition levels: Level 1 for grades 4–6, Level 2 for grades 7–8, or Level 3 for grades 9–12.

The national Letters About Literature team selects finalists from each participating state for each competition level; then Louisiana winners are chosen by a panel of judges including teachers and librarians from throughout the state. Louisiana winners receive $100 for first place, $75 for second place, and $50 for third place and are honored at the Louisiana Book Festival. First place winning letters are submitted to the Library of Congress for the national competition with the chance of winning up to $1,000.

Each student’s letter attached entry coupon—available online for download—must be sent directly to the Library of Congress address on the entry coupon instructions by Jan. 12, 2018. The entry forms and information, as well as a teacher’s guide with lesson plans, may be downloaded at www.read.gov/letters.

The 2017-18 writing contest for young readers is made possible by a generous grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and by gifts to the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, which promotes the contest through its affiliate Centers for the Book, state libraries, and other organizations.

In Louisiana, the contest is made possible by the Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana with the assistance of the Louisiana Writing Project and the Louisiana Library and Book Festival Foundation. Funding for prizes is provided by the Library of Congress grant.

Louisiana Book News is written by journalist Chere Dastugue Coen, who writes Louisiana romances and paranormal mysteries under the pen name of Cherie Claire. The first books in her award-winning series are FREE as ebooks! For more information and to sign up for her newsletter visit www.cherieclaire.net.