LAL contest results for Montana are in and the winners are: Level I, grades 4-6, Kiley Layman of Seeley Lake, Delaney Galloup of Cameron, and Cade Habel of Great Falls.

Level II, grades 7-9, represented by Dahn Ebert of Pendroy, who advanced and was a finalist at the National Level for her excellent letter to Jack London! Other winners for Level II are: Tatia Elizabeth Hollowell of Hysham, and Taylre Sitz of Ennis! Level III, grades 9-12, winners were Miranda Atwood of Billings, Nate Roberson and Hannah Barrett of Bigfork. A number of Montana students also received honorable mentions from LAL judges. Congratulations all!

Just under 70,000 adolescent and young adult readers nationwide in grades 4 through 12 participated in this year's Letters About Literature program, which encourages young people to read, be inspired and write back to the author who has somehow changed their view of the world or themselves. LAL is an annual program. For more information, including free teaching resources to guide students through the reader response and writing process, visit the program website at www.lettersaboutliterature.org. The Montana Center for the Book and Humanities Montana salute school children, parents, school librarians and teachers across the state for their enthusiasm for literature and the humanities through LAL.

Target sponsors Letters About Literature as part of its national reading initiative, "Ready. Sit. Read!" which is aimed at fostering a love of reading among children at an early age. Since opening its first store in 1962, Target has partnered with nonprofit organizations, guests and team members to help meet community needs. The Center for the Book, Target, and Humanities Montana, partner to bring Letters About Literature to your Montana community. The Center for the Book was established in 1977 as a public-private partnership to use the resources of the Library of Congress to stimulate public interest in books and reading. Go Letters About Literature! Go Montana! And again for further information go to www.lettersaboutliterature.org!

Re. Letters About Literature...

"Your writing program...has taken on a value far greater than any single assignment. It facilitates a powerful reading/writing connection, it opens doors to many valuable conversations in our classroom about personal experience and the way we see the world."