FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Austin, TX – The Texas Center for the Book, under the direction of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, is delighted to announce the winners of the 2024-2025 Letters About Literature Texas contest, a statewide competition sponsored by the Texas Library and Archives Foundation.

In Letters About Literature, students read a book, poem, short story or other written work and write a letter to an author—living or dead—explaining how his or her work changed their view of themselves or the world.

Hundreds of students entered from across the state, and the level of competition was high. There were three categories of competition: grades 4-6, grades 7-8 and grades 9-12.

First-place winners receive $300, as well as an additional $300 for their school library. Second-place winners receive $200, and third-place winners receive $100.

The winners:

Level 1 (Grade 4-6)
First place: Lily Qiu of Addison, Greenhill School, wrote to Kelly Yang, author of Front Desk
Second place: Elinor Wilson of Bellaire, Pin Oak Middle School, wrote to R.J. Palacio, author of Wonder
Third place: Finn Brown of Houston, Hogg Middle School, wrote to Dav Pilkey, author of the Dog Man series

Level 2 (Grade 7-8)
First place: Shireen Valasagandla of Round Rock, Ridgeview Middle School, wrote to Jessie Diggins, author of Brave Enough
Second place: Emma Emig of Friendswood, Westbrook Intermediate School, wrote to R.J. Palacio, author of White Bird
Third place: Aria Newton of Mansfield, Rogene Worley Middle School, wrote to Wilson Rawls, author of Where the Red Fern Grows

Level 3 (Grade 9-12)
First place: Kayla Padilla of Mission, PSJA Collegiate School of Health Professions, wrote to Michelle Zauner, author of Crying in H Mart
Second place: Dhiya Rajasekar of Allen, Lowery Freshman Center, wrote to Robert Frost, author of The Road Not Taken
Third place: Hai Tran of Mansfield, Ben Barber Innovation Academy, wrote to Dan Harris, author of 10 Percent Happier

“I want to thank each and every Texas student who participated in this year’s Letters About Literature program,” said Gloria Meraz, TSLAC Director and Librarian. “All our letter writers demonstrated their appreciation for literature, and I congratulate the librarians, teachers and parents who supported them. Of course, I want to applaud our winners in each of the categories for their outstanding work and writing. Congratulations to them all—their letters are wonderful and truly convey the power of the written word.”

The winning letters are published on the TSLAC website at www.tsl.texas.gov/lettersaboutliterature. Winners are encouraged to share the link, as well as to reach out directly to the author and publisher.

First place winners will receive their prizes and certificates, as well as read their letters, during a special awards ceremony during the Texas Library Association Annual Conference in Dallas in April.

One of 50 state centers affiliated with the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, the Texas Center for the Book is under the direction of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. For more information contact Michele Chan Santos at mcsantos@tsl.texas.gov or visit tsl.texas.gov/centerforthebook.