Journeys

June 1, 2017

Gr 6 Up-Since 1984, the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress has conducted an annual essay contest in which students in grades four through 12 write letters to authors of books that have influenced their lives. The best of those written over the past decade have been published in this volume, and they are remarkable. The letters are not merely fan flattery: authors, both living and dead, are addressed in conversational tones. "I have always struggled with being Jewish," a young girl admits to Anne Frank. But after reading Frank's diary, as she studied for her bat mitzvah, she continues: "I hope you will be there, standing right next to me, reciting and praying along with me." A high school student seeking a definition of masculinity that departs from his father's traditional interpretation says to Rudyard Kipling, "Because of 'If, ' I am able to walk with my chest pushed out like a man, not because of bulging pectoral muscles but because of the heart under them." Though each entry is eloquently written and noticeably articulate, the work does have an audience issue-most kids are unlikely to pick this up for pleasure reading. VERDICT This well-crafted collection offers excellent examples for student writers and could easily be incorporated into lessons as a mentor text. Creative writing teachers may want to consider for classroom use.-Katherine Koenig, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2017
The subtitle will have librarians, teachers, and reading specialists reaching for this book.Culled from thousands of letters submitted to the "Letters About Literature" program sponsored by the Center for the Book of the Library of Congress, the contest brings to light how "hearts are inspired and at times healed by the power of an author's words." The letters are bundled into three general age groupings--upper elementary, middle school, and high school--and then separated into the same thematic chapters for each age category: Destinations, Realizations, and Returning Home. The works discussed are a good range of the expected (Newbery winners, Harry Potter, the classics) and lesser-known titles (Shades of Black, by Sandra L. Pinkney and illustrated by Myles Pinkney; Two Old Women, by Velma Wallis). The format for each entry first quotes from it, then gives some background on it before presenting the student's letter. Though the letters are personal, poignant, and often profound, the question is, who is the audience? Will teens want to read about other teens' angst? While the students' letters reveal how deeply books and poetry affect the lives of young readers, the volume is probably most likely to find a home with educators and adults with a passion for books and reading. Earnest and often revealing, this collection nevertheless has an uncertain audience. (source notes, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 12-adult)

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June 1, 2017
Grades 6-10 Edited by the national director of the Letters about Literature program, this collection of student letters to authors, both deceased and alive, whose work has had a strong impact on their lives covers a wide range of topics. For 25 years, the Library of Congress' Center of the Book has run this program for grades 4 through 12. Fifty-two exceptional letters, grouped together by ageupper elementary, middle school, high schoolrespond to an array of books, from Elie Wiesel's seminal Night to the more contemporary Legend, by Marie Lu. Many share deeply personal stories, touching on grief, substance abuse, abandonment, the Holocaust, and suicide. Several letters respond to the same work, demonstrating the deeply unique personal connection possible between a reader and a piece of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Though there's a fair bit of purple prose in the high-school letters, the collection as a whole shines in its honesty and readability. A wise pick for educational settings, particularly those who participate in Letters about Literature or other similar programs.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)