#5 Letters About Literature

It's spring now; I know that because in our field there are eleven lambs. The sheep don't belong to us. (For better or worse, we're not exactly the farming types.) But the 4-H family who do own them needed a field, and we had one which was overgrown and a mess. So, it's perfect. I think it must be impossible to really understand the nuances of the verb unless you have had the good fortune to watch lambs gambol in the spring.

And on a completely narcissistic note, I am pleased to announce that Lydia, the third in this family of four children, has named the lamb she will show at the local fairs this summer, David the Writer. Having been a black sheep for most of my life, I am redeemed at last by a six-year-old. Thank you, Lydia!

This year, I was a judge for Letters About Literature, a national contest sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress (in partnership with Target.) Young people from grades four through twelve write letters to the authors of their favorite books. The contest is administered by the fabulous Catherine Gourley at the Center for the Book. Cathy does a terrific job of keeping all the letters straight, managing the arcane judging, and in general making sure it all happens. Good on ya, Cathy!

I was one of three judges reading Level II -- grades seven and eight. We read over forty letters, all of which had won at the state level. The letters were charming, heartfelt and often beautifully written, but what struck me most was how many of them centered on tragedy: the death of loved ones, serious illnesses, addicted family members. Was this, I wondered, a result of the kinds of books we are putting into kids' hands? A reflection of the Reality TV world in which we all now live? A preference of the judges at the state level for "serious" letters?

It made the letters difficult to judge. I had to remind myself over and over again that I wasn't judging the life situation of the writer (which was sadder? the dying father or the alcoholic mother? -- that kind of thing) but the letter she had written. It's worth noting, by the way, that nearly all the letters were written by girls. This, in itself, is a tragedy.

I don't know yet if the winners have been announced, but when they are, I'll put a link to the two winning Level II letters on the blog. They're worth reading. In the meantime, congratulations to all the contestants and to the authors of the books they were responding to.