October 9, 2014 National Book Festival Summer Writing Contest Winners Announced

Press Contact: Jennifer Gavin (202) 707-1940
Public Contact: Korey Freeman (202) 707-4512

The Library of Congress today announced the winners of its "A Book That Shaped Me" Summer Writing Contest, a program that asks rising fifth- and sixth-graders to reflect on a book that has made a personal impact in their lives.

More than 200 young readers submitted essays to participating public libraries in the Mid-Atlantic region in this third year of the contest. Launched in 2012 with the D.C. Public Library, "A Book That Shaped Me" expanded with the help of public libraries in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The local libraries offered the contest as part of their summer-reading programs.

Five finalists per state were chosen in an initial round of judging. The finalists each will receive a $50 gift-card prize.

That judging was conducted by members of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The AASL works to ensure all elementary- and secondary-school librarians participate as collaborative partners in the teaching and learning process.

The grand-prize judging round, which selected state and grand-prize winners from the pool of state finalists, was conducted by a panel assembled by the Library of Congress that included educators, children’s authors, and Library of Congress staff.

Each state winner will receive another $50 gift-card prize. The first-, second-, and third-place grand-prize winners will be awarded additional gift-card prizes in the amounts of $200, $150, and $100 respectively.

Grand-prize winners will read their essays in a ceremony at the Library of Congress on Oct. 18. The contest presentation will take place at 1 p.m. in the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building at 10 1st St., S.E., Washington, D.C., in Room LJ119.

Grand Prize and State Winners

  • 1st Place Grand Prize and Virginia State Winner Ananda Kalukin, Arlington Public Library, who wrote about "Bird Songs Bible” by Les Beletsky
  • 2nd Place Grand Prize and Virginia State Finalist Gavin Dent, Roanoke County Library/South County Library, who wrote about "Omaha Beach and Beyond: The Long March of Sergeant Bob Slaughter” by John Robert Slaughter
  • 3rd Place Grand Prize and Virginia State Finalist Caroline Antonipillai, Arlington Public Library/Central Library, who wrote about "Matilda” by Roald Dahl
  • Maryland State Winner Isis Marks-Hamilton, Enoch Pratt Free Library – Pennsylvania Avenue Branch, who wrote about "Rosa Parks” by Erinn Banting
  • Delaware State Winner Sudha Anilkumar, New Castle County Libraries/Brandywine Hundred Library, who wrote about "Out of My Mind” by Sharon Draper
  • Pennsylvania State Winner Audrey Gehm, Butler County Federated Library/Mars Area Public Library, who wrote about "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling
  • Washington, D.C. Winner Kalina Sloat, District of Columbia Public Library/Cleveland Park Library, who wrote about “The Year of the Dog” by Grace Lin
  • West Virginia State Winner Finnian Mungovan, Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Library/Martinsburg Library, who wrote about “Ruttkowsky 68: Terrible Horrible” by Mark Jenkins and Nils Muller

State Finalists (winners indicated by asterisks)

District of Columbia Finalists

  • Helena Bello, DC Public Library – Takoma Park Library
  • Christian G. Herald, DC Public Library – Takoma Park Library
  • Pasha Ishaq, DC Public Library – Georgetown Library
  • Kalina Sloat, DC Public Library – Cleveland Park Library*
  • Cassie Zhang, DC Public Library – Tenley-Friendship Library

Maryland Finalists

  • Cora Jackson, Prince George's County Memorial Library System – Hyattsville
  • Isis Marks-Hamilton, Enoch Pratt Free Library*
  • Ashlie Price, Dorchester County Public Library
  • Nathalie Trouba, Prince George's County Memorial Library System – Hyattsville
  • Brynn Yates, Dorchester County Public Library

Virginia Finalists

  • Caroline Antonipillai, Arlington Public Library – Central Library
  • Gavin Dent, Roanoke County Public Library – South County Library
  • Ananda Kalukin, Arlington Public Library – Central Library*
  • Raquel Mandojana, Arlington Public Library – Central Library
  • Udbhav Muthakana, Prince William Public Library System – Central Community Library

Delaware Finalists

  • Sudha Anilkumar, New Castle County – Brandywine Hundred Library*
  • Madelyn Degnars, New Castle County – Newark Free Library
  • Huda Kose, New Castle County – Newark Free Library
  • Brendan Lewis, Dover Public Library
  • Lucy Verlaque, New Castle County – Newark Free Library

Pennsylvania Finalists

  • Amelia Cook, York County Library System – Glatfelter
  • Audrey Gehm, Butler County Federated Library System – Mars Area Public Library*
  • Carissa George, Free Library of Springfield Township
  • Bryce Greco, Hazleton Area Public Library
  • Colton Steltzer, Westmoreland County Federation Library System – Ligonier Valley

West Virginia Finalists

  • Addie Hughes, Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Library
  • Finnian Mungovan, Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public*
  • Beth Nichols, Roane County Public Library – Geary Public Library
  • Emma Samples, Southern Area Library
  • Zula Stenger, Southern Area Library

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PR 14-181
2014-10-09
ISSN 0731-3527