"Letters About Literature" coordinator Catherine Gourley in the midst of student letters from several states.
Dear Lurlene McDaniel:
I just found out that my friend has leukemia. The lessons I've learned from your books will be so useful now. You showed me what to expect. I know now that there will be some people who won't understand. … they will leave my friend out or treat her differently. I won't let what happened to your character happen to my friend.
Books are about real people and real places. That's what the author of this letter, sixth-grade student "C.J." from Vermillion, S.D., discovered after reading Lurlene McDaniel's novel Six Months to Live. C.J. wrote her letter to the author after learning about the Center for the Book's national essay contest "Letters About Literature."
Sponsored in association with the Weekly Reader Corp., Letters About Literature invites students in grades 4 through 7 (Level I) and grades 8-12 (Level II) to write to an author — living or dead — describing how that author's work changed the student's way of thinking. Each year the students' letters never fail to impress the more than 100 judges from across the country who select the top essays in their states. This year, 25 affiliated state centers for the book and approximately 20,000 students just like C.J. participated in the program.
"Teachers and librarians are the critical link in this national essay contest," said project coordinator Catherine Gourley. "They are the ones who help students make that important connection between the people and events in literature and their own lives, and to express that connection in creative, controversial ways."
"Books do indeed have wings. For some students, the books they read help them to rise above prejudice and discover pride in their cultural and racial heritage. For others, the wings help them cope with difficult situations, like the illness of a friend. Students who come to this realization are more likely to be lifelong readers."
Ms. Gourley, who is herself the author of nine books, many written for young adults, has managed the Letters About Literature project for the past seven years. The national winning essayists for both levels in this year's contest will be announced in April as part of National Library Week. Many of the participating state centers for the book will hold state awards ceremonies shortly thereafter. For further information, contact Catherine Gourley, P.O. Box 51, Bear Creek Village, PA 18602 telephone (717) 472-3489, e-mail cgourley@pix.net.
Affiliations with Eight State Centers Renewed
Center for the Book Director John Y. Cole has announced that renewal applications from eight state centers (see below) have been approved for the period 1999-2001. "Every three years, each state center must apply for continuation of its affiliate status," Mr. Cole said. "The proposal is accompanied by a summary of its activities during the past three years and a description of plans for the future. The process is useful for both the national center and the state center, for it frequently leads to new administrative arrangements or projects that help revitalize a state's book and reading promotion activities."
The first state centers, Florida (1984) and Illinois (1985) are still active. Currently 36 states have statewide centers affiliated with the LC Center for the Book. Most of the state centers are located in state libraries or in large public library systems. Selective highlights of the activities of the eight newly renewed state centers and their reading promotion partners are outlined below.
Kentucky. The annual Kentucky Book Fair, sponsored with the Frankfort State Journal and several state agencies, is the center's major project. The Kentucky center and the Kentucky Humanities Council are partners in the traveling exhibition "Journeys Through Literary Kentucky. With the Kentucky Arts Council and others, the center was involved in the recent establishment of a Kentucky Poet Laureateship. Final plans have been made for a new Kentucky Literary Map. The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English will be the cosponsor, and teachers and librarians throughout the state will determine the map's content.
Michigan. The Michigan center helped underwrite the annual "Michigan Author of the Year" award. In 1997 it facilitated the donation of a major collection of literature by American Indian authors to the Library of Michigan, its host institution. The collection was donated to the library in the name of the Michigan Center for the Book by Irwin T. "Toby" Holtzman. With the Library of Michigan Foundation, the center is working with the Lapeer County Library staff to develop a traveling exhibition that would feature the work of Michigan children's book author Marguerite deAngeli.
North Carolina. The center participates in several national projects, including "Letters About Literature," Mother Goose Asks "Why?," the Vermont Center for the Book's family science and literature program and "Choices for the 21st Century: Defining Our Role in a Changing World," a program funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Its reading and discussion group projects include "Let's Talk About It," "Poetry Spoken Then and Now" and "Read and Respond" (formerly "Teens Talk About Books").
Oklahoma. The annual Oklahoma Book Awards is the Oklahoma center's premier event; the new "Authors in Libraries" program sends Oklahoma Book Awards finalists to public libraries for presentations. The Oklahoma center, one of two 1998 Boorstin State Center Award winners, participates in "Letters About Literature," supports poetry and literacy projects of other organizations and is planning a database of Oklahoma authors, illustrators and publishers.
Oregon. The Oregon center administers the Oregon Intellectual Freedom Clearinghouse. It also participates in "Letters About Literature," Mother Goose Asks "Why?," the Oregon Partners in Literacy program, the annual Oregon Book Awards, family poetry workshops and, with the Oregon Folklife Program, presents the "Traditional Arts in the Oregon Country" program in libraries around the state.
Washington. With support from the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund, the center has created an "If All Seattle Reads the Same Book" project and is developing a three-year program for building local audiences for literature. Other activities include "Letters About Literature," poetry and author readings, book discussion and book reviewing programs, a literary tour of Seattle and Living History presentations.
Wisconsin. "Wisconsin Authors Speak" sponsors presentations by Wisconsin authors in libraries and other institutions throughout the state. The book Wallace Stegner and the Continental Vision (Island Press, 1997) was a result of the center's 1996 symposium. A Wisconsin Authors Database is being developed for the Web site of the center's sponsor, the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. Exhibitions are being planned that will feature rare books owned by Wisconsin citizens and Wisconsin book artists.
Wyoming. The Wyoming center participates in the national "Letters About Literature" and Mother Goose Asks "Why?" projects. With the Rotary Club as a partner, it sponsored a three-year "Read To Me, Wyoming" read-aloud program for young children. The center received a $10,000 grant from the Jeld-Wan Foundation to sponsor "Young Readers on the Range," a project to acquire children's books for county libraries. The center is working on a Wyoming Literary Guide/Map and a Wyoming authors database. It will begin producing a quarterly newsletter in January 1999.
