Contest Aimed at Getting Kids Excited about Reading
December 4, 2014 (Helena, MT)—For the 4th year in a row, Your Lewis & Clark Library is hosting a “Dear Author” contest for students in grades 4th and 5th. “Dear Author” encourages students to read YRCA Nominated books, past YRCA winners, or a Newberry Medal Winner and write a letter to the author of the book they chose.
The letters are not to be a book report, but rather, they should focus on what the book showed the reader about the world; or what the reader learned about themselves as a result of reading the book; why was the book meaningful to the reader; or how did the author’s work influence the reader.
Letters must be typed on 8 ½ by 11 paper and include student’s name; phone number; name of school or home school; and age at the top of the page. Letters will not be returned. Submissions can be sent to Judy Hart between January 5-9, 2015 and the five finalists will be notified by January 23rd. The five finalists will be honored at an awards ceremony held at the Library on January 27th at 7PM.
“Not only are the top five finalists honored, but thanks to a generous donation from the Lewis & Clark Library Foundation, each of the finalists’ school libraries will receive prize money to buy books,” explained Lewis & Clark Library Director, Judy Hart.
Dennis Taylor, chair of the Lewis & Clark Library Foundation, explains the Foundation’s sponsorship of the “Dear Author” contest, “the Foundation is thrilled to once again support this important contest. As a Foundation Board, we are committed to enhancing library services by helping the Library accomplish its mission of providing solid childhood educational opportunities that engage young readers in recreational reading.”
The “Dear Author” contest replaced the annual Battle of the Books that also engaged 4th and 5th graders with YRCA winning novels. The Pacific Northwest Library Association's Young Reader's Choice Award is the oldest children's choice award in the U.S. and Canada. The award was established in 1940 by a Seattle bookseller, the late Harry Hartman, who believed every student should have an opportunity to select a book that gives him or her pleasure.
Nominations are taken only from children, teachers, parents and librarians in the Pacific Northwest ~ Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana and Washington. Nominations may include fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, animae and manga
This year’s YRCA nominees are:
Junior:
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Ungifted by Gordon Korman
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Chomp by Carl Hiaasen
Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin
Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket
Fairest of All by Sarah Mlynowski
Intermediate:
Drama by Raina Telgemeier
The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen-Fernlund
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Son by Lois Lowry
Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead
Bomb: The Race to Build-and-Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Senior:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Dodger by Terry Pratchett
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
The Selection by Kiera Cass
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
For more information and complete contest guidelines, log onto www.lclibrary.org.
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