University Libraries Hosts 2019 Letters About Literature Award Ceremony

University Libraries Hosts 2019 Letters About Literature Award Ceremony

• April 29th, 2019
• by Donna
• in Uncategorized

The Alabama Center for the Book will honor state winners of the Letters About Literature contest at an award ceremony on Saturday, May 11, at 11 a.m. in Gorgas Library, room 205, at The University of Alabama.

Letters About Literature is a national reading and writing contest for students in grades four through 12.  Students are asked to read a fiction or nonfiction book, book series, short story, essay, or speech and write to the author (living or dead) about how the book affected them personally.

The competition is made possible by a generous grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation with additional support from 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.

Guest speaker will be children’s author Charles Gigna, better known as Father Goose.

Gigna is the author of more than 100 books from Random House, Simon & Schuster, Time Inc., Disney, Scholastic, and Harper’s to Highlights and Cricket magazines.  He served as poet-in-residence and chair of creative writing at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and is instructor of creative writing at Samford University.

One of his latest books, “Alabama My Home Sweet Home” celebrates Alabama’s bicentennial for young readers.

“Winners, semi-finalists, parents and teachers are invited to attend the awards ceremony,” said Donna Adcock, director of public relations, University Libraries, and director of the Alabama Center for the Book. 

First place winners will receive a $100 gift card, second place will receive a $75 gift card, and third place winners will receive a $50 gift card.  All semi-finalists will receive certificates.

2019 Alabama Winners

Level 1 (Grades 4-6)

First Place – Edith Kaplan, N. E. Miles Jewish Day School

Second Place – Davis Philhower, Individual Entry

Third Place – Ari Azrad, N.E. Miles Jewish Day School

Level 2 (Grades 7-8)

First Place – Landon Perdue, Baldwin Arts & Academics Magnet School

Second Place – Alexandra Ours, Baldwin Arts & Academics Magnet School

Third Place – Ariel Steele, Baldwin Arts & Academics Magnet School

Level 3 (Grades 9-12)

First Place – Anna Carden, Pelham High School

Second Place – Lupita Aguilar, Pelham High School

Third Place – Michael Jones, Individual Entry