Do you dream of becoming a writer? Here is your chance to get published! Enter Upper Merion Township Library's 33rd Annual Write and Illustrate Your Own Book Contest.

Contest Rules:

Students in grades Kindergarten through Eighth are eligible to enter.

Entries MUST include a separate sheet of paper listing author's and illustrator's Name, Grade, School, Address, Phone Number and Book Title.

Entries MUST BE THE CHILD'S OWN WORK and may be handwritten or typed. Stories must be appropriate for inclusion in the Children's Collection. Please leave at least 1 ½" margin on both sides of the page. Entries must not measure more than 13 X 13. Use artist pencils, non-smear markers or crayons for illustrations. Cover should be made of construction paper for mounting purposes.

First, second and third place winners will be chosen in each grade. Winning entries will be bound and added to Upper Merion Township Library's book collection.

First place winners will receive a bound copy of their book; (winner provides the copy.)
The copies of winning books must be returned to the library no later than February 2nd, when they will be sent to the bindery.

All winners will receive a gift certificate to a bookstore.

Two special awards: The Joane F. McNamara award for best story and the Susan Lomax award for best illustrations. Winners of these two awards will each receive a $50.00 check and a $50.00 gift certificate to a bookstore. These prizes are donated by the Library and an anonymous donor.

Winners will be notified by phone.

Deadline for entries: Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 by 9:00 p.m.

All contestants are invited to the Awards Presentation where they can pick up their book and a certificate of recognition. Authors not present at the ceremony who attend Upper Merion Schools will receive their books from their school librarian. All other books can be picked up in the Children's Department of the township library. The ceremony will be held in December in Freedom Hall.

Any questions, please contact the Upper Merion Township Library, 175 West Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406
(610) 265-4806.

2007 Contest Winners

Kindergarten
1st place - Ryan Yatsko
2nd place - Dylan Kuhn
3rd place - Edward A. Pike
Honorable Mention (tie) - Abigail McGahey
Honorable Mention (tie) - Olivia Barr

First Grade
1st place (tie) - Ashley Synder
1st place (tie) - Brennan Leach
2nd place - Julia Galdi
3rd place - Morgan Miller
Honorable Mention (tie) - Utsav Dongre
Honorable Mention (tie) - Blake Hindle

Second Grade
1st place - A. J. Bartsch
2nd place (tie) - Ethan Kuhn
3rd place - Emily Adams
Honorable Mention - Maria Lattanze
Honorable Mention - Jake Kelchner

Third Grade
1st place - Kelly A. McKee
2nd place - Kamilla Levine
3rd place (tie) - Cole Dutton
3rd place (tie) - Daltrey Granoff
Honorable Mention (tie) - Jackie McMahon
Honorable Mention (tie) - Piyush Pillarisetti

Fourth Grade
1st place - Natalie Rosato
2nd place (tie) - Lauren Kirpatrick
2nd place (tie) - Michelle Xu
3rd place (tie) - Sarah Kirkpatrick
3rd place (tie) - Austin Holman
Honorable Mention (tie) - Kendell Dutton
Honorable Mention (tie) - Colin A. Campbell

Fifth Grade
1st place - Margaret Shih/Elizabeth Bauman
2nd place - John Howell

Sixth Grade
1st place - Christa Rodriquez
2nd place - Mary McGahey
3rd place - Smriti Chauhan
Honorable Mention - Sabrina G. Carroll

Seventh Grade
1st place - Annina Baker

Eighth Grade
1st place - Isabelle McEwen
2nd place - Patricia Gassen
3rd place - Richie Bhuyan