Letters About Literature

We're in the RRD (revised rough draft) stage of our current writing project: a multi-draft exercise and national competition called "Letters About Literature" which is sponsored by the Library of Congress. (http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/letters/) Girls are writing to their favorite authors/poets/ speech makers, describing how various works have changed their ways of thinking, feeling and being. Among the lucky recipients of such missives: Maya Angelou, Stephenie Meyers, Roald Dahl, Lois Lowery, Dr. Suess, Shel Silverstein, Jodi Picoult, Marge Piercy, Pearl S. Buck and President-elect Barack Obama. (In case you're wondering, the author need not be alive in order to warrant a letter about literature.) Last year two of our 8th graders placed for the state of Washington...this year we're aiming for the BIG PRIZE: $10,000 for the 8th grade library!! And with the kinds of letters I've been editing this weekend, I do believe we have a chance! I'll keep you posted!!