Center for the Book at UA Offers Statewide Writing Contest

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Alabama Center for the Book, part of The University of Alabama Libraries, invites young readers in grades four to 10 to enter the 21st Annual Letters About Literature letter-writing competition.

The contest challenges young readers to write a personal letter to an author explaining how that author’s work somehow changed readers’ view of their world.

Letters About Literature is a national reading and writing promotion program for young readers sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and presented in partnership with participating affiliate state centers for the book, including the Alabama Center for the Book.

Students may enter the contest individually or through their school as a class project. The 2013 entry guidelines and entry coupons may be found on the Alabama Center for the Book’s website: alabamacenterforthebook.lib.ua.edu

The postmark deadline is Jan 11, 2013. Teachers, librarians and parents can download free teaching materials, including lesson plans, assessment checklists and student writing samples by visiting the Letters About Literature website: lettersaboutliterature.org.

Letters About Literature awards prizes on both state and national levels in three competition levels: Level 1 for children in grades four to six; Level 2 for children in grades seven and eight; and Level 3 for children in grades nine and 10.

The Alabama Center for the Book will announce the state winners in April. All semi-finalists, their families and teachers will be invited to the Alabama Letters About Literature awards ceremony and reception at UA’s Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library. The three first-place winners’ letters will be submitted for national judging. National winners will receive a cash award of $1,000 and will be announced in May.

The Alabama Center for the Book is the Alabama Affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book and is housed in the UA Libraries.