LAL is a national reading promotion program of the Center for the Book  

2009 Letters about Literature -  Michigan

WINNER: Daniel Harrison   

CITY & SCHOOL: Kalamazoo, Mattawan Middle School

Dear Ben Mikaelsen,

About two years ago, I had been a real bully. I used to pick on kids and call them names and not even realize how much of a jerk I was. I had been in trouble a couple times, and ended up in detention. It was there, ironically, where I read your book, Touching Spirit Bear. It transformed my life.

Cole was exactly where I was in my life, except maybe not as dramatic. In the beginning of the book, when Cole assaults Peter, I had been going through a similar situation. I didn’t care about the people I made fun of at all. But, during that detention after reading your book, I stared up at that pencil-scarred cement wall, I realized who I was, and I hated it. As I got in depth with Cole, I felt like I was reading my soul in your story.

As the end of your book neared, I realized what I needed to do. I vowed that I would be a better person. In chapter eight in your book, Cole taunts the Spirit Bear. The Spirit Bear in my life that I taunted was authority, and it wasn’t scared of me one bit. When I tried to show up that authority, the same thing happened to me as with Cole: trouble. A couple days after the whole incident, I dreamed of the sparrows, in their nest, like your book. The dream showed me that I should care, and I started caring for all sorts of things. After that, my life totally turned around, and I’m very grateful for what life has given me.

But as time went by, it came to me how negative I still was. I still felt anger inside me, like Cole did. I had apologized plenty of times before, but somehow, I knew that I never meant it from the heart. I tried one more time, with all of my heart, and asked for forgiveness. Most of those people I bullied forgave me, though I could still feel that missing piece to friendship, but now we’re good friends. Being forgiven felt like a wave from Heaven had just hit me.

When I finished your book, I had learned many things about myself. I learned how mean and ignorant I was, and I learned that authority is there to help. A couple months later, the very people who had once been in the position to where they couldn’t even stand the sight of me, all went to the movies together with me, and we had an awesome time. I’ll never forget the lesson I learned and how much your book changed me. I have truly touched Spirit Bear.

With all my heart,

Daniel Harrison

Dear Mr. Jerry Spinelli:

Stargirl is one of those books. I don’t know how else to describe it. It is a book that completely turns you inside out. Many books deal with a character who is different, but none of those characters enjoys being different. Stargirl showed me not to change, to be my definition of normal, to be myself – as long as that self does not have a negative effect on other people.

This book surprised me. By reading it, I discovered things about myself that I never noticed before. I discovered my strengths in the character of Stargirl. Like her, I don’t pay attention to negative peer pressure. I discovered my weaknesses in Hillary’s character. I am often determined to dislike certain people. You should care about what other people think of you, but not as much as you should care how you make other people feel. We are all the main character in our own story, but it never occurs to us that we might be the bad guy in someone else’s. By reading Stargirl, I stopped seeing everyone else as “Them” with a capital T and started seeing people as individuals. Though everyone is made from the same primary colors, it’s how we mix those colors to create ourselves that makes us different. Now I fully recognize that you can’t treat everyone the same way. What resolves an argument with one person may incite an argument with a different person. I never knew that before.

I have learned to accept other’s differences by reading Stargirl. Not necessarily big differences – not even important differences – it could be something as small and inconsequential as liking a book series that I happen to hate. Then again, a person might dislike me because of that. I have learned to accept that, too. I have learned to tolerate people when the opinion of everyone else strongly contradicts my own. Mr. Spinelli, before I read Stargirl, I was the same kind of different that I am now; I always speak my opinion, good or bad, hurtful or not. Now, though, you and Stargirl have taught me that while different is good, I have to keep it in control, like a bush. In some places you let it grow and in others, you prune it down so it doesn’t stick into the neighbor’s yard and annoy them.

Mr. Spinelli, you taught me how to be normal without changing, to change my image while the way I think stays the same, to be myself without hurting others. Thank you.                  

Sincerely,                                                                                                       

Dear Katherine Paterson,

What brings two completely different people together and creates a lasting bond between them? In what way does it change their lives forever? To me, a friendship seemed useless and superficial. I believed that something or someone will always break it and destroy it. Erase it with no trace at all. When my family moved back to Beijing, I lost some of my best friends. Years worth of friendship was broken in a matter of minutes. I became bitter and cautious to any potential companions. In a Chinese public school, I was known as the “tall thin Chinese-American girl who has no feelings at all.” However, I was indifferent to the gossip around me. The hurtful gossip further proved my point.

Thankfully, my parents transferred me to a bilingual private-school. Slowly, but surely, I became attached to some of the people there. In that group of people was a girl named Vicky. Her attitude and characteristics was similar to your character, “Leslie Burke”.  Bright and lively. Bold and somewhat rebellious. We helped each other’s struggles. She was a leader and I was a follower.   Regardless of our completely different personality, Vicky and I were soon fast friends. Although my parents started to home school me, things remained the same between us. I thought  that I would always see her again. One cloudy day, someone told me the shocking news, “Vicky is dead.” I felt stunned and helpless that entire day. A car accident took away her bright life. Again, a perfect friendship was destroyed in a matter of minutes. Again, I became bitter. Never again should I ever rely on friendship. Never again should I have a close friend. I repeated the promises to myself almost every night.

As books are one of my escapes from the real world, I picked up the book, “Bridge to Terabithia” from my dusty bookshelf.   Although I had read “Bridge to Terabithia” before, I felt something different this time. I understood Jess Aaron’s feelings before Leslie came into his life. I smiled at the adventure Jess and Leslie had in their magical world of Terabithia. I thought that their perfect friendship will go on forever.   I was shocked when Brenda told Jess that Leslie is dead. That part was like a clear reflection of my present situation. However, I was curious to see how Jess reacted to this event.

When I finished your book, I knew immediately what to do. Just like Jess who passed down the valuable lessons Leslie taught him, I will try to do the same. I will remember how Vicky impacted others through her cheerful, creative spirit and strong leadership. Instead of being timid and shy, I will try to help others with my leadership and smile to pass down the gift Vicky left me. I used to think that death marks an ending. However, now I know that it also marks a new beginning, for a new friendship. Thank you so much for teaching me this valuable lesson through your book. Thank you for making me understand how God intended friendship to be.

Claire Wang

Dear Mr. Michael Buckley,

I would like to tell you about how your series, The Sisters Grimm, helped me, but first I think that you should know a little bit about me.  I am twelve years old and my parents are divorced.  When you think about a divorce you picture two people fighting, and then them getting separated.  Then everything becomes fine.  This is not reality. 

I am part of a lunch-bunch group that is designed to help kids with problems at home.  I am the only kid there with divorced parents, and I am not the only kid in the grade that has separated parents.  This reality makes me feel even worse about what happens at home.  Amongst all of this there is my little sister, Caroline.  I don’t have a great relationship with my sister.  I mean its okay but it’s the kind of relationship I would have wished.

Now that you know a bit about me, I would like to tell you about how I started reading your books.  The first time, I read your book was in the spring of fifth grade (about two years ago).  I had just finished a book, and I was looking for another one.  I asked my Librarian and she gave me your fourth book, Once upon a Curse. 

I began to think about the characters in the series.  I thought about how the two sisters could get along and have a blast without their parents.  I realized that these sisters had a strong enough bond that it didn’t make to bad of an impact on them.  I also began to think about how this could be similar in my life.  If I had a better relationship with my sister we would work through what happens, and I wouldn’t have to hold it in until that once-a-month lunch-bunch.

I knew what I wanted to do.  I wanted to make the relationship I had with my sister better.  The only problem was how I would do it.  I began to brainstorm some ideas of how I could accomplish this.  I noticed that Sabrina and Daphne spent a lot of time together.  Caroline and I spend time together but not nearly as much time as they did.  I decided to spend more time with her.   After about two weeks had passed I began to notice that we were treating each other differently.  As time went by we got closer and closer.  It was great, but problems still came up.  There was no way we could prevent this, but we talked about SMs (secret meetings).  During a SM we would talk about what was bothering us and we would do about it.  These meetings were like my lunch bunch meetings, but they were private and overall better.

Now I feel like I could get through anything with my sister.  I never dreamed of having a relationship this strong.  I want to thank you for writing this series.  One thing which I think you would be happy to hear is that last weekend I found book number five and six!

Katherine Ann Van Kirk