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<p class="MsoNormal"><img width="704" height="110" id="Picture_x0020_5" src="cid:image001.png@01D106A7.C5D68350" alt="Letters Logo.png"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue">Letters About Literature is a national reading and writing contest sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress (LOC), the
<a href="http://www2.dollargeneral.com/dgliteracy/Pages/index.aspx">Dollar General Literacy Foundation</a> (new!), and in Oregon by Willamette Writers (new!). Students write letters to any author explaining how that author's book changed their way of thinking
about the world or themselves. <i>Please help promote this program, including among homeschoolers</i>.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue">The LOC asks teachers to allow students to choose a book that is meaningful to them and asks students to explain *why* or *how* the book was significant to them instead of summarizing the plot.
The focus of a participant's letter is to make clear the connection one has with a book.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue">Here's what Lynette Gottlieb, a teacher in Corvallis, had to say about the contest:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue">Letters about Literature was a completely positive experience for my students...importantly, some of my students who do not identify as writers, and do not generally enjoy
the experience, were able to write about something meaningful to them and participate in an inclusive contest that also recognized them...the process connects them to the human experience of literature. It supports my English classroom where I give students
choice about reading whenever possible and teach that literature and writing are first and foremost about communication.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue">There are three competition levels: Level I for 4th-6th graders, Level II for 7th-8th graders, and Level III for 9th-12th graders. Oregon's three winners - one from each competition level - will
go on to compete nationally. Last year Oregon’s own Heather DesChamp was a National Honor Award recipient!
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue">Entry forms and guidelines are available on the
<a href="http://willamettewriters.com/letters-about-literature/">Willamette Writers</a> and the
<a href="http://www.oregon.gov/osl/LD/Pages/youthsvcs/aboutlit.aspx">State Library</a>’s websites.
</span><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#00B050">All high school (Level III) entries must be postmarked by December 4, 2015 and elementary and middle school (Levels I and II) entries by January 11, 2016</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#00B050">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue">Thanks to these groups whose sponsorship makes local prizes possible: Oregon Reading Association and three divisions of the Oregon Library Association: Oregon Association of School Libraries, Children's
Services Division, and <b>Oregon Young Adult Network</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue">Thanks to you for passing along the information and encouraging participation</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue">. Those with questions about Letters About Literature should
contact <a href="mailto:awards@willamettewriters.com">Blythe Ayne</a> at Willamette Writers.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue"><a href="http://willamettewriters.org/letters-about-literature/">http://willamettewriters.org/letters-about-literature/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue"><a href="http://www.oregon.gov/osl/LD/Pages/youthsvcs/aboutlit.aspx">http://www.oregon.gov/osl/LD/Pages/youthsvcs/aboutlit.aspx</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue">Jen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue">Jennifer Maurer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue">School Library Consultant<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue">Oregon State Library<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue">250 Winter Street NE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue">Salem, OR 97301<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue">503.378.5011<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue"><a href="mailto:jennifer.maurer@state.or.us">jennifer.maurer@state.or.us</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue">OSLIS ||
<a href="www.oslis.org">www.oslis.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue">Learn to research. Research to learn.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:blue"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:blue">FOLLOW US:</span><span style="color:blue">
</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ORLibSupport"><span style="text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="21" height="21" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image002.png@01D106A7.C5D68350" alt="facebookSmall.png"></span></a><span style="color:blue"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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