Introduce young readers and writers to one of the most personal and meaningful ways to communicate—with Letters from the White House, a national creative writing contest from the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance, Reading Rockets, and AdLit.org. To enter the contest, students write letters and journal entries that explore the history of America and tap into their own creativity when they imagine and write about the experience of living or working in the Executive Mansion.
Students are encouraged to find inspiration in the poetry, stories, illustrations, and information in Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out. The contest will launch on January 20, 2009, Inauguration Day, with entries due on February 16, 2009, Presidents Day. Five finalists will be chosen in each competition level and a grand prize winner will be named in each level on April 30, 2009, the 100th day of the new presidential term.
Contest information and resources for preK-grade 3 teachers and for grades 4-12 are available from Reading Rockets and AdLit.org. At www.ourwhitehouse.org, the companion Web site to Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out, educators and parents will find useful information and historical resources to help students with research. Winning entries will be published online and prizes include copies of Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out and gift certificates to Better World Books.
Special thanks to Rachael Walker at Reading Rockets for providing this post.
As some of our readers know, First Book’s office happens to be located just a few short blocks from what is perhaps one of the world’s most iconic homes, the White House. We’ve all seen images of it, but very few of us know what life is truly like for those who live inside.
However, Candlewick Press’ newest publication, Our White House: Looking in, Looking Out, finally guides us past the Secret Service and lets us inside for a detailed, close-up look at the incredible events and people that have helped make the White House what it is today. This read-aloud family anthology, which contains contributions of prose, poetry, drama, nonfiction, and art by over 100 celebrated authors and illustrators, was conceived by award-winning author and illustrator Mary Brigid Barrett, who recently sat down with First Book for a lively discussion about this multi-faceted book.
Ms. Barrett also just so happens to be the founder, president, and executive director of one of my favorite literacy organizations, the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance, a nonprofit organization whose primary focus is to make issues related to young people’s literacy, literature, and libraries an ongoing priority on our national agenda. All proceeds from the sale of Our White House will help support the work and programs of the NCBLA. (So go out and grab your copy today!)
And don’t forget — if you plan to be in the Washington, D.C. area on September 27th, don’t miss Ms. Barrett and other contributors to the book when they discuss the creation of Our White House at the National Book Festival on the Mall.
Click below to hear our conversation with Ms. Barrett about Our White House.
