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LETTERS ABOUT LITERATURE
A national reading and writing promotion for children and young adults sponsored by the Illinois Center for the Book in cooperation with the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress in partnership with Target.
The program invites 4th - 12th grade students to read a book that interests them and write a letter to the author explaining how the book changed their view of the world or themselves.
The contest consists of three competition levels - Level I for grades 4 - 6, Level II for grades 7 & 8 and Level III for grades 9 - 12. One state winner is chosen for each level. State Level winners receive a $50 Target gift card, a check from the Illinois Center for the Book and a plaque at an awards ceremony. State level winners' letters are forwarded to the National competition where six national winners (two at each level) and twelve national honorable mentions (four at each level) are selected. Each of the six national winners receive a $500 Target gift card along with a $10,000 grant for their school or community library for reading promotion for children and young adults. The national honorable mentions will receive a $100 Target gift card and a $1,000 grant for their school or community library.
Students can enter Letters About Literature through their schools, youth programs, libraries or individually. When the current entry form and guidelines are available, they can be accessed through a link below. If you have questions or want to be included on the mailing list, please contact Bonnie Matheis at the Illinois Center for the Book at bmatheis@ilsos.net.
Information about the 2011 Program
2011 Press Release from Jesse White - Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian: Encouraging Participation in Letters About Literature
2011 Application Form and Guidelines
2011 Official Rules
2011 Teacher's Guide
2011 Letters about Literature Supports Learning Standards -- Chart
2011 Letters About Literature Poster2011 National Letters about Literature Website
Information about the 2010 Program
2010 Press Release Announcing Illinois Winners
Information about the 2009 Program
2009 Press Release Announcing Illinois Winners
Information about the 2008 Program
2008 Press Release Announcing Illinois Winners
Information about the 2007 Program
2007 Press Release Announcing Illinois Winners
2007 State and National Winners
Information about previous Program Winners
Previous State and National Winners 2000 -- 2006
Read about Mitchell Deck, 2005 National Winner, from Peoria, Illinois and the other national winners in Target's promotional piece Letters About Literature 2005: Celebrating the 2005 National Winners.
Read Mitchell's Letter to Keith Brandt, author of Lou Gehrig - Pride of the Yankees