New Mexico State Library

Letters About Literature 2019

The Letters About Literature awards ceremony took place on Friday, May 3 in the rotunda of the Round House in Santa Fe.  The State Librarian, Eli Guinnee, welcomed everyone and awards were then presented by the Department of Cultural Affairs Secretary, Debra Garcia y Griego, to the three New Mexico state champions who read their letters aloud, the three second place winners, the three third place winners, and the honorable mention letter writers.

Galen Yane, a fifth grade student at Cien Aguas International School in Albuquerque, is the Level 1 champion.  Galen wrote his letter to Gordon Korman about his book, Schooled.

Rowaina Alaini, an eighth grade student at Desert Ridge Middle School in Albuquerque, is the Level 2 champion. Her letter is addressed to Enchanted Air author, Margarita Engle.

Emily Freeman, a tenth grade student at East Mountain High School in Sandia Park, is the Level 3 champion. Emily wrote her letter to Ned Vizzini about his book, It's Kind of a Funny Story.

Each of the state champions received a certificate acknowledging their achievement and $150 from the State Library. The second place letter writers also received a certificate acknowledging their achievement and $40 gift card for Collected Works Bookstore.  The third place writers received a certificate and a $35 gift card for Collected Works Bookstore; and the honorable mention writers also received a certificate and a $25 gift card for Collected Works Bookstore.  The three New Mexico champions' letters were sent to the Library of Congress for the national competition. The winners of the national competition will be announced in  late May.

Three hundred and ninety-three New Mexico students entered the 2019 contest.  Of those 393 entries, 135 writers advanced to round two and 68 writers advanced to round three.  In Level 1, there were 138 entries with 23 letters advancing to round three state judging.  In Level 2, there were 160 entries with 22 letters advancing to round three.  In Level 3, there were 95 entries with 23 letters moving on to round three state judging.

Our special thanks to the New Mexico judges:

This is the seventh year New Mexico State Library has sponsored the competition.

For more information about New Mexico’s Letters About Literature contest, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Lori Thornton at 505-476-9717.

Thank you to all the students, teachers, librarians, and families who participated in New Mexico's Letters About Literature program. Keep reading and writing!

Letters About Literature, the annual writing contest for young readers is made possible by a generous grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, with additional support from gifts to the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, which promotes the contest through its affiliate Centers for the Book, state libraries, and other organizations.  In New Mexico, the contest is sponsored by the New Mexico State Library, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs.