These letters will be entered in a national contest provided by the Library of Congress.
Here are the basic directions for students from the Library of Congress:
Books have wings. You can’t see them, but they are there just the same. On books’ wings, readers can soar to new places where they meet intriguing characters and experience exciting adventures. But a book’s wings can also help a reader rise above difficult situations — like peer pressure, bullying or prejudice, or to cope with disappointment and loss.
Have you ever felt the power and lift of literature? Has one book — or perhaps one author — inspired you to change your view of yourself or your world? If so, we encourage you to enter this year’s Letters About Literature writing competition. All you have to do is write a personal letter to an author, explaining how his or her work affected you.
Maybe a book made you feel good and hopeful about life, or maybe it was so funny it brightened your life while you were reading it. Maybe it taught you a lesson or helped you get through a hard time. Maybe it provided an escape from reality when you really needed it -- taking you to another world, and you felt as if you were really there when you were reading it.
For more information see the website for the contest at
We will send our letters in as a class. Students will have an opportunity to type them in class.Additional stipulations from Ms. Dorsey:
The book must have a lexile level near, at, or above the student's independent reading level.
NEW: The book may be one the student has read previously, and would love to reread.
NEW: It may be another book in a series the student has already started -- even if a previous book was used for our September Book-of-the-Month.
Students must bring their books to class each time until the assessment is done.
Students must sign up for their book on the list kept by Ms. Dorsey.
This post was originally placed on this blog on 9-29-09.
