for children and young adults
Letters About Literature, 2008 Awards
Congratulations to the students listed below, who were awarded 1st place, 2nd place, and Honorable Mention awards at the state level in the 2008 Letters About Literature Contest.
Letters About Literature is a national reading-writing contest offered by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, in partnership with Target Stores and in cooperation with affiliate state centers for the book. Readers in grades 4-12 are invited to 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. There are three competition levels: Level I for children grades 4-6; Level II for grades 7 and 8, and Level III for students in grades 9-12.
In addition to the national sponsors named above, the Letters About Literature contest in Maine is sponsored by the David Royte Fund. The David Royte Fund, created in 2006 by Merle and Leonard Nelson and Dr. and Mrs. Paul Royte, honors the father of Merle and Paul, Mr. David Royte. Mr. Royte served as a valued member of the Board of Directors of the Maine Humanities Council for many years.
Level I (grades 4-6)
First place winner: Benjamin McKenna, Grade 4, Appleton Village School, Appleton. The Voyage of the Frog by Gary Paulson
Second Place Winner: Caroline George, Grade 5, H.B. Emery Junior Elementary School, Limington. The Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi
Honorable Mentions: Emi Perkins, Center for Teaching and Learning, Edgecomb. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Emelia Guthrie, Grade 5, Fairmont School, Bangor. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Level II (grades 7-8)
First Place Winner: Dana Vigue, Grade 7, Lawrence Junior High, Fairfield. Meet Kaya by Janet Shaw
Second Place Winner: Asia Steele, Grade 8, Biddeford Middle School, Biddeford. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
Honorable Mentions: Vena Johnson, Grade 7, Saco Middle School, Saco. A Corner of the Universe by Anna Martin
Lucy Knowlton, Grade 8, Tripp Middle School, Turner. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
Level III (grades 9-12)
First Place Winner: Michael Weber, Grade 9, Edward Little High School, Auburn. Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez
Second Place Winner: Nate Fairchild, Grade 9, Edward Little High School, Auburn. Night by Elie Wiesel
Honorable Mention: Katherine Cotter, Grade 10, Searsport District High School, Searsport. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Complete List of Semi-Finalists (Listed by School)
Taylor Reuillard, Semi-finalist
Charlotte Rutty, Semi-finalist
Ethan DiNinno, Semi-finalist
Julia Hintlian, Semi-finalist
Emma Moorhead, Semi-finalist
Hope Logan, Semi-finalist
Mitch Adams, Semi-finalists
Myranda Tichy, Semi-finalists
Nate Fairchild, Second Place
Quinn McKay, Semi-finalist
Molly Fitzpatrick, Semi-finalist
Brandyn Dagneau. Semi-finalist
Mitali Desai, Semi-finalist
Sara Costello, Semi-finalist
Monica Libby, Semi-finalist
Jordan Agger, Semi-finalist
Vena Johnson, Honorable Mention
Darby Rose, Semi-finalist
Josh Bunker, Semi-finalist
Lucy Knowlton, Honorable Mention
