Letters About Literature

2009 Winning Entries

Humanities Tennessee is pleased to announce that close to 1,000 students from across the state entered this year's Letters about Literature contest.

Tennessee boasted a distinguished panel of judges this year, including acclaimed children's authors Patricia and Fredrick McKissack and novelists Alan Gratz, Wilmoth Foreman and Gary Slaughter.

On Level I (grades 4–6), the 1st Place winner in Tennessee is Caroline Hoskins from Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis. On Level II (grades 7–8), the 1st Place winner for our state is J.P. Tyner from White Station Middle School in Memphis. On Level III (grades 9–12), the 1st Place winner in Tennessee is Bowei Deng from White Station High School in Memphis. Congratulations to all of the winners in Tennessee! This year's winners are:

Level I

Level II

Level III

Letters About Literature — Level I

First Place

Caroline Hoskins, Age 12, Lausanne Collegiate School, Memphis
Teacher — Josh Clark
To Cynthia Lord about Rules

Dear Cynthia Lord,

It often seems to me that nobody understands my problems, that I am the only one in the world who has difficulties, and I am trapped in a cement box with no way out. Reading your book Rules helped me look at these situations in a different light.

Just like Catherine in Rules, I have a sibling with Autism. Just like Catherine, for pretty much all of my life, I have had to face therapy sessions, sacrifices, and being embarrassed to have my friends meet my sister, Julia. I was worried that Julia would make my friends think I was weird. All the time, people of all ages would come up to me and ask me the same question: "Are you Julia's older sister?" This really bothered me. I felt like a nobody in a world circulating around Julia. It seemed to me that I didn't have my own identity. I told myself that I didn't care, but I lied. Reading Rules helped me realize that I am not the only person in the world that has these kinds of problems.

No, the therapy won't stop. No, I won't ever stop sacrificing, but after reading your book, I realized that having Julia as a sister is amazing, and I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world. I realized that if my friends can't accept my sister as she is, then they aren't really my friends. But most importantly, I realized that I am my own person. My identity is not "Julia's older sister." I am Caroline Hoskins. I am me.

Thank you, Cynthia Lord, for writing such a beautiful story that includes problems that kids these days actually face. You are an amazing author, and Rules is a simply wonderful story. It helped me through my problems, and I am positive it helps kids all over the world every day.

Yours Truly,
Caroline Hoskins

Second Place

Atusaye Mkandawire, Age 9, Roy Waldron Elementary School, LaVergne
Teacher — Andrea Bontempi
To Mercer Mayer about Just Going to the Dentist

Dear Mr. Mercer Mayer,

I was afraid of going to the dentist when I arrived here from Africa. When I got here, I didn't have any teeth. Just thinking about putting the needle in my mouth made me shiver with fear — especially when I grew a tooth and it came in wrong. I locked myself in my bedroom because I knew what was going to happen. The dentist — just thinking about it made me scared of my own room.

But then I read your book, Just Going to the Dentist. It inspired me to be brave. When I went back to the dentist, I was right. They did have to take my tooth out, but I thought about the things Little Critter did. I calmed down and opened my mouth. And, it was over before I knew it!

That was a long time ago. Now I'm nine, and I still think about Little Critter when I go to the dentist. Your book really helped me. Thank you for writing it!

Sincerely,
Atusaye Mkandawire

Third Place

Azeez Shala, Age 11, Lausanne Collegiate School, Memphis
Teacher — Josh Clark
To Rick Riordan about The Lightning Thief

Dear Mr. Rick Riordan,

When faced with trouble and pain, people often feel lonely and trapped with no way out of their misery. They need someone to bring them out of the darkness and show them that they are not alone in their suffering. They need a friend to fight their trouble with, knowing that better future is near. That is exactly what your book, The Lightning Thief, has shown me.

Earlier this year, we were assigned your book The Lightning Thief to read in my English class. From the first page, I noticed something remarkable. Page after page, I could not help thinking that Percy was just like me. I was not "half-blood" with a Greek God father, but I sure knew what it felt like to always be in trouble and keep losing friends. I could definitely relate to the frustration of fighting the silly little impulses and losing the battle over and over. Changing school after school, looking for a fresh start and running away from the "troublemaker" label with no success, was familiar too. It all sounded extremely recognizable to me and I started thinking, could it be? I kept reading faster and faster looking for a certain four letter word and there it was: ADHD. Percy is an ADHD kid too.

Having read Percy's story makes me realize that I am not alone. It has renewed my courage to fight even harder knowing that someone else is fighting with me and that everyone who has read the story can see my struggle and appreciates my effort. Obviously, reading your book cannot give me an ADHD-free life or even make everybody aware of my struggle. However, it has helped open my eyes to the possibility of a better future ahead and for that I am forever grateful. You have created a role model for every kid fighting ADHD and taught us that the battle is only helpless if we quit trying.

Even though the struggle with ADHD is a long difficult battle, I am better prepared for it knowing that I am not fighting alone. I may not have super powers to fight mythological creatures of the Underworld but I have enough perseverance and courage to fight and never give up. Percy won the battle and I can too.

Sincerely,
Azeez Shala

Letters About Literature — Level II

First Place

J.P.Tyner, Age 13, White Station Middle School, Memphis
Teacher — Helen Erskine
To Jerry Spinelli about Wringer and Crash

Dear Jerry Spinelli,

I read your books, Wringer and Crash last year as a sixth grader during my first year in middle school. I am admittedly not an avid reader of fiction but found the timing of the topics to be amazingly appropriate. The fact that you wrote two books about bullying from two different perspectives gave me insight into the thoughts of both victims and bullies. I needed the information provided through the characters to make it through my first year in middle school.

The character in Wringer, Palmer La Rue is not a misfit only in his school but also in his whole town, yet he doesn't want anyone to know. The class that I was in during my first year of middle school did not have the familiar faces of friends from my old elementary school so I too felt like an outsider. Palmer didn't want to be ostracized by his family and friends, yet he found the courage to stand up for his convictions. He didn't believe it was right to kill the pigeons even if the money for the event went for a good cause. Likewise, I felt like a fish out of water attending a school more than twice the size of the one I had called "my school" for six years. I also went from being one of the big fish (smartest kids) in the pond to being a minnow (just an average kid) in the ocean, and I still don't want anybody to know how I feel. Learning how Palmer had the courage to face his fears in a nearly impossible situation gave me the guts to endure circumstances that I knew I could not change.

Penn Web is the victim in Crash yet the primary focus of understanding is on the bully, John "Crash" Coogan. In some ways I associate with Penn in that I don't wear expensive tennis shoes or clothes as "Crash" or my classmates do. Penn was picked on verbally and physically by Coogan and Mike Deluca for being a vegetarian, a Quaker, and just different from them. I was bullied like Penn by classmates last year because I asked what they considered "stupid" questions so now I say as little as possible in class. Yet, I believe I also understand "Crash" liking to pick on Penn because I like to harass my sister who is younger and very different from me. He and I both get a feeling of superiority from someone else's misfortune. I felt sympathetic for "Crash" when his grandfather "Scooter" had a stroke and was never the same because I saw my grandfather's health decline after he was diagnosed with cancer when I was in fourth grade. In the book, "Crash" changes and defends Pann even to the point of being friends. I wish the classmates who bullied me would change their attitude toward me and I hope to consider my sister's feelings before I torture her in the future.

My reading Wringer and Crash got me through the sixth grade and for that I thank you. Because of your books I feel better equipped to handle new situations, which may be put to the test when my family moves to Arkansas. I will try to put myself in my sister's place before giving her a hard time. I would really like to know how you were able to create such realistic characters from such diverse points of view. I look forward to reading more of your books to see what other like lessons I can learn.

Sincerely,
J.P. Tyner

Second Place

Drew Blake, Age 13, Houston Middle School, Germantown
Teacher — Mary Ann Cole
To Ray Bradbury about Fahrenheit 451

Dear Ray Bradbury,

I have just recently read your book Fahrenheit 451. I wanted to tell you how much the story impacted my life. It really opened my eyes on issues that are so important today. I think that we as an American nation have fallen into the same hole that you foresaw when you wrote the book.

It was very insightful because it showed that it doesn't matter how much we have, that it doesn't come with pure happiness. In the book, Guy Montag undergoes an epiphany many people are going through today, one that I have experienced over time. That is that there's more to life than just material objects. That in order to be truly happy you need love. That reading books can be very spiritually renewing. That sometimes in order to know what's right you have to stop listening to what people are telling you and think about it on your own.

This book illustrated the American society so greatly, that I saw our country in a whole different light. I realized that most of our nation is spoiled, that we constantly want to be entertained. In your book, books had things in them people didn't want to hear, so they burned them. In the United States, people say things we don't want to hear, so we degrade them! Nowadays the word "Christian" is looked upon as a negative word. Why? Because Christians do things that the world hates, and preaches against things that the world loves. Things like going to church and practicing abstinence. Things that "Aren't fun." Well you've shown me that having fun all the time doesn't necessarily get me happiness, something that I think America today needs to see.

On that note, I also want to point out something that was made clear to me through your book. The characters are so caught up in so many material things, that they never think or focus on important things in life. They fill their lives up with nothing in such a desperate attempt to have fun and be happy. This showed me something. It showed me that it's healthy to sometimes turn off the TV and music or whatever and listen. That all these things can distract us from important things like religion and love. After I read this, I stepped back and took a look at America, and I find myself in a parallel universe. A society that constantly has to be entertained, constantly has to be doing something fun, or it's not even worth their time.

Trying to be completely happy with only material objects is like trying to fill a huge, mesh bag with water. The substance may stay in the bag for a while but it will eventually strain out. In the same way, we may be happy for a while with our possessions but after a time, we grow tiresome of them. The toys break down. The cars lose that "new car smell." And we only find ourselves back to where we started: trying the impossibility of filling that mesh bag with a liquid substance. We need to do ourselves a favor and stop trying to be happy with material things. Put a solid object like love in that mesh bag.

Regards,
Drew Blake

Third Place

Kenneth Anderson, Age 12, Saint Bernard's Academy, Nashville
Teacher — Joan Knox
To Jack London about White Fang

Dear Jack London,

Your book has changed my life greatly. It showed me what I'm like, and what I could be. White Fang, at some point, was very similar to me. I am trying to break those similarities at this time and am making progress, slowly but surely. It may take a long time, though I will change myself.

White Fang reminded me that sometimes people want you to be violent. They want you to get angry so they can torment you and laugh at you. Then, after you fight, to see you helpless as before. When Beauty cages White Fang, then makes him fight, it reminds me of myself. I have two older brothers, both bigger and stronger. They both make fun of me to get me angry. When I try to come up with verbal comebacks, they laugh and don't care. When I finally can't take it anymore, I attack them. They pin me to the ground until I stop struggling.

When this happens, it's like White Fang and I are going through the same things. He's caged and tormented, then is let out to attack some other dog. The only difference is that I don't have any victory. White Fang wins then is restrained and put back into a cage. I'm restrained and continually goaded to attack again. I've gotten into trouble so many times because of my anger, I just walk away when tormented. The problem is, when I walk away, they follow me. It's like when White Fang tries to go to sleep. He can't rest. I can't calm down.

My hope is that one day, I'll go against my nature and stop fighting. I try not to retaliate to their taunts, and am getting better, though eventually still fight. I hope that someday I will be convinced to stop fighting. That day will be the day I go against my nature and become a better person.

I have learned that you should look inside if you have a problem. We find out characteristics about ourselves we never knew. I will never forget White Fang and it should not only be looked at as good literature, though as a book that changed people.

Your Friend,
Kenneth Anderson

Letters About Literature — Level III

First Place

Bowei Deng, Age 15, White Station High School, Memphis
Teacher — Lori McFalls
To Melba Beals about Warriors Don't Cry

Dear Melba Patillo Beals,

I sat alone in front of the computer doing a project that was assigned to four people. My teammates had abandoned me to go see a movie. It was three against one. I was the minority. What could I have done? Besides, they were three very athletic, popular kids, and I was the nerdy, Chinese kid. I let them bully me not only because I was scared of them, but also because I wanted to be friends with them. I wanted to be part of the majority.

In seventh grade, I was one of the few Chinese kids in my grade. We, the Chinese kids, were considered nerdy, uncool, boring, no-life, and many other derogatory adjectives that you can think of, by the other children of the school. They were the majority. We were the minority. School seemed like a place where I didn't belong. I started to not care about my grades. In order to "fit in," I began doing activities that a normal American kid would do. Playing video games gave me a topic to talk about with the others, but eventually I was unable to keep up with the fast technology, and I became a minority again. Then I tried to watch football games and keep up with the records of all the players, but due to my violin and piano lessons, I missed all the games. I was ready to give up. I felt unwanted in the fact that no one cared about me. Depression started to take over my soul. I began considering easier ways to end my misery.

Then one day, my English teacher recommended Warriors Don't Cry for my class to read. I now think of that event as a sign from God that I had too much potential to just give up my life. After reading your story, I saw many parallels between your life and mine. I was the minority at my school, and so were you. I was being bullied by the majority, and so were you. I tried to fit in, and so did you. But there was one sole difference between our stories, I considered giving up, but you didn't. You and the other eight brave people fought. Instead of letting the bullies feed off your fear, you made it less fun for them by ignoring their comments. I realized that history was repeating itself, and that I had to fight. I had to fight not only for me, but also for the whole Chinese student body at my school.

For the next few weeks, I began to pull up my grades. Whenever I was referred to as a nerd, I just ignored the comment and thought, "At least I'm not having acid sprayed into my eyes." My self-esteem rose faster that the water of the Yangtze River during the summer. By the end of the school year, I was the top student in my grade, and for the first time ever, I was proud of myself. My perspective changed completely. I was the majority, and the rest of the kids were the minority. I also realized that in the real world, the people who are in power were the "nerds" and the "no-life" minority during middle school.

Thank you for sharing your wonderful story with me. Thank you for turning my life around. Thank you for making me part of the real majority.

Sincerely,
Bowei Deng

Second Place

Jeremy Reisman, Age 14, White Station High School, Memphis
Teacher — Lori McFalls
To Howard Griffin about Black Like Me

Dear John Howard Griffin,

I would first like to thank you for writing the book Black Like Me because it truly did change my life. You showed extreme bravery, and I would like to strongly commend you on this. Your book helped me understand how much and how often African Americans were tormented in America in the 1950's. I now can sympathize with them or at least have a better knowledge of what they went through.

I could not even imagine dying my skin black and entering the Deep South during a time when racism was so rampant. I do not know if I could build up the courage to do such a bold act as that and even risk my life. Your courage is an inspiration to me, and I would like to think that I conduct myself the same way in my own life. Since I read Black Like Me, I constantly have thought of your actions and tried to act similarly. Not only did you write about a subject that definitely needed to be told, but you actually felt what it was like to experience actual racism, and that is what made you stand out in my mind. I now know what true bravery is, and I will always try to stand up for innocent people who are tormented just as you did for African Americans.

Your book is very important to me because I know how horrific it is when someone or even a whole group is persecuted. Luckily, I have not experienced this personally, but I have heard many stories about it because I am Jewish. Because of my Jewish family and heritage, I hear many accounts every year during holidays, such as Passover and Yom Kippur. These stories remind me that it's my obligation to help people who are oppressed because many people of my religion were in the same situation. Before I read your book, I would listen to these stories and feel pain for the Jewish people, but I didn't think about the things that I could do to aid people in the same situation. Now, I feel as if I can either help these people or maybe even stop the oppression from happening.

Since I read your book, I have made it my goal to help people who are being picked on or excluded. I may not exactly become one of them as you did, but I do try to defend them whenever I can. For instance, this year, I befriended someone who moved to Memphis from out of town. I once saw him sitting alone at lunch. I went and sat next to him, and I have done so every day since. I know that this is not nearly as courageous a deed as you did, but in my mind, it's a start. I have made attempts like this to help people who are excluded or oppressed, and I would like to thank you for this because I feel good inside knowing that I am making a difference in these people's lives.

Black Like Me has changed my life for the better in so many ways. I now feel as if I can help people when they are bullied or picked on. Your book opened my eyes to the ways you cannot only support these people but even step into their shoes and see how they feel. This book not only helped me to see how African Americans were persecuted, but it also showed how any faultless people can be unfairly treated for no apparent reason. Because of your book, I feel it is my duty to help these people, as you did, and make people's lives a little better.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Reisman

Third Place

Anh Vo, Age 16, White Station High School, Memphis
Teacher — Suzanne Wexler
To Alan Patton about Cry, the Beloved Country

Alan Paton,

I see my country reflected in Reverend Kumalo's country.

In Vietnam I was born, but I cannot remember. About Vietnam I hear stories, but I cannot remember. Of Vietnam I see pictures, but still, I cannot remember. And yet, I am able to see the many parallels between Kumalo's beloved country and my own.

For my parents, Lai Thieu is their Ndotsheni and Saigon their Johannesburg. Coming from the small town of Lai Thieu, my grandparents, like Gertrude and John, came to Saigon with their children in search of economic opportunities in the hustle and bustle of the city life. I can only imagine the hardships they faced in a new city without the familiar faces of their kinsmen.

Personally, Saigon is my Ndotsheni and Memphis is my Johannesburg. In 1994, my parents, my brother, and I faced the same difficulties when we came to America with nothing more than two large suitcases. Like Kumalo, our religion and faith in God helps us continue forward. My family, fortunately, still keeps in contact with our many relatives in Vietnam, but the same cannot be said about other families. I have seen families broken up when they or their loved ones move away and communication ceases to continue. I have seen children run away from their old-fashioned Vietnamese families in order to pursue their love interests in this new country. I have seen former friends fall victim to the wrong crowd and abandon their families for high life on the streets, surviving as Absalom did. I have seen parents cry over the loss of their children either because they died or ran away.

I sympathize with Gertrude because I know the same poverty forced many Vietnamese girls to go into prostitution, especially during the Vietnam War. My dad tells me stories about the changing Vietnam's changing society when the Communists came. Like South Africa, these changes brought new hardships for many of the people. People, like dominos, one by one fell into poverty as the economy spiraled downward. People desperately sold their house furnishings and family heirlooms for money and food, and yet, the children continued to starve. Then, as they do now, people moved away from their families, promising to write and keep in contact. But somehow, their promises proved empty.

Today in the Vietnamese community in Memphis, I see the older generation desperately clinging to their native roots, while the younger generation, most of them born in America, becomes more and more assimilated into the fabric of American society. Parents and grandparents hope, sometimes in vain, that children not forget their families or native country and customs. Kumalo's story is meaningful to me because I can see and understand it. I pray for those broken families and those affected by poverty.

America is where I live, but Vietnam will always be my beloved country. I am an American, but I will never forget where I came from and how much my family means to me. Thank you for letting me realize how beloved my native country is to me.

Anh Vo

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