1st place:

Dear Eleanor Coerr,

I wrote this letter to you to tell you how much I appreciate you writing Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. Before I read this book I did not really believe in dreams or wishes. I didn’t realize how one girl’s dreams could affect so many people. Then I read this book and it really gave me a reason to believe.
The book also showed me how bad war really is. Right now it seems as if we might go to war with Iraq and people on both sides will get hurt. Your book made me think about the innocent people on the other side. Even after the war was over and there was peace, radiation still made people sick and people died.
From this book, I learned that though you can’t stop war, because it is often necessary, peace is best. So it is up to us to make peace. So that’s why I wrote you this letter. Thank you for the difference you have made.
Even though all of Sadako’s wishes didn’t save her life it helped people all around the world to believe in peace. So it is my wish that someday I might be able to visit Sadako’s statue in Peace Park and read for myself the words, “this is our cry, this is our prayer; peace in the world.”

Cara Elizabeth Alexander, Discovery Academy, Jefferson City

2nd place:

Dear J.K. Rowling,

I know that you probably get many letters on how your books inspire people, so here is another one to add to your collection.
The Harry Potter books have changed my life for the better. When I first found your books I was in 2nd grade. I was an ordinary kid with a not so good reading ability. My awesome teacher, Mrs. Konieczny, brought in a book one day called Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Little did I know it would change my life. She began reading it every day after lunch. We would sit on the carpet and read the magical book. We began to read it and I liked it, we all liked it. When we were done with it, one of my friends lent her Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I liked it better than the first and I knew we would need the 3rd book. So my mom and I got online and bought two and three for my teacher. I gave them to her halfway through the 2nd book and she was thankful that she had her own copy. We finished two around the holiday season so I said that three was her gift. She read that one to us also. Since the third is a lot longer than one or two we did not finish it until the end of the school year. I was sad about having to leave her class but I knew I had to.
That summer Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire came out. Since my reading had gone up during 2nd grade, I was able to finish it in a week and a half. It was my favorite. So that school year I gave Mrs. Konieczny a copy even though she was not my teacher any more. She read it and enjoyed it just like I thought she would. That year nothing really happened so I’ll just skip to the next school year, which would be 4th grade for me.
The books had gotten me into reading so much that my reading level had gone from the bottom to one of the top ranked and it stayed that way. I preordered tickets to “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” two weeks early. When I saw it I thought it followed the books exactly.
I bought the DVD that summer. I showed it to my Grandma and now she likes them too. I am in 5th grade this year. Last Friday I used my pre-ordered tickets to “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” movie. I liked it better than the first movie!
So now that I’m at the end of my never-ending story, I would just like to say that you have gotten me into a hobby that will never stop. You have given me a reading level that lets me read books as high as or higher than The Lord of the Rings, which I also read my 4th grade year. Finally, you have shown me my talent for writing! I hope to be a writer when I am older, and in fact I have started writing some books. So thank you for all the great things you have granted me through your books.

Michael Leahy, Osage Beach Elementary School

Honorable Mention:

Dear Mrs. Kehret,

Your book, Small Steps, has truly given me a different outlook on kids with critical illnesses. Your book showed me how painful some of the exercises or even symptoms of the disease are.
The hot packs and stretches you went through are amazing. I’ve read your book twice and I still can’t believe how brave you were through everything you put up with.
Your bravery encouraged me to live life and make it sweet. You never know what can happen. You made me realize how blessed I am to have a healthy and fit body. The second time I read your book I put myself in your shoes, and I am amazed at how you tried to make the best out of everything.
You were diagnosed with three types of polio, yet you stayed brave and believed you would walk again. And you did. You were out of school for seven months and stayed caught up with education. If you survived all of this than I’m sure I can survive whatever my life encounters.
Because of your touching story, I’ve decided to take action. I try to collect every pop tab I can for the Ronald McDonald House.
Thank you for accomplishing your goal to fight polio, become a writer and share your story with the world.

Lauren Shipman, Highland Park Elementary School, Lee’s Summit

Dear Linda Barr,

Your book Nothing Hurts But My Heart has inspired me to realize that life gives curves but you get through them no matter what.
I cried and I laughed while I was reading this book. It taught me to understand others in a better way. Lisa had so many emotions and I thought “if this ever happened to me, I don’t know what I would do.” I felt bad that she had to give up her dream! If I ever had to give up my dream, I would probably go crazy. I thought it was cool that Megan was there for her the WHOLE way. Also it was neat that Jeff didn’t care if she had scoliosis, that he liked her no matter what or how she looked.
I hope that someday I will inspire someone to go out there and grab a hold of life, but still be able to have fun, too. I love this book, I wish that there was a book 2 so that I could read it and see what happens to Lisa and everyone else, too.
All I can say is that I thank you for writing this book. After I got done reading it I realized, “Life is short, so live it to the fullest. Just because something happens that will change your life FOREVER doesn’t mean that you give up on life itself!” I was a person that didn’t care about someone that wasn’t in my family with an illness, but your book let me see through that matter and care about others more. I think that people need to know things like this can happen to anybody, I mean not just scoliosis, but other illnesses too. While I am growing up and when I am older, I would like to be the one that inspires others and makes them realize things happen out of the blue at anytime no matter what you are doing or planning on doing. Like I always say “Never underestimate the impossible.”
I hope I made you smile as much as you made me. I think that you are the best author I can think of! I like that you have been in that situation of having scoliosis and having the courage to share it with others too.

Heather Sheperd, Auxvasse Elementary School