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Literacy Interest Group
February 18, 2010
Writer-to-Writer Challenge, Part IV
What is the Writer-to-Writer Challenge? Adult literacy learners of the California Library Literacy Services are invited to read a book, any book. It can be fiction or non-fiction, written at any level, and can be a book-on-tape. They then write a letter to the author describing how the book changed their lives.
This year 188 adult learners entered the Challenge from 43 library literacy programs all over California. Their letters, based on their writing skill levels, were divided into four categories: Emerging, Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced. There are two rounds of judging: In the first round a panel of librarians and literacy specialists carefully selected the finalists in each category. In the second round, groups of learners reviewed the finalists' letters and picked the winner and runners-up in each category.
The letters of the winners will appear as a Four-part Series, concluding with part four with a letter from the "Emerging" winner, who wished to remain anonymous:
Anonymous
Alhambra Civic Center Library
Dear Anne Frank,
Your story touched my heart! Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl was sad and painful to hear (on tapes). Tears came to my eyes as I listened and realized my past life was sad and painful too!
You were a young girl hiding in Amsterdam to escape the Nazis in World War II. But for me - living in North Korea - I was a child running away from Communism during the Korean War.
My mother passed away when I was five. About two years later, I was escaping to South Korea with my father and a bunch of people - refugees. We were hiding in caves, behind bushes, crossing mountains and rivers, sometimes with shots passing close to our heads and sides.
My father carried me on his back across water and when my feet were sore and tired. I had no shoes! In some villages, there were camps. We stayed in tents, and they gave us a ball of rice and a "pill" of salt to eat.
Once my father was taken away by soldiers with guns to become part of the North Korean Army, but he escaped at night. Then, we went farther south by boat, train, and, at last, walking across a frozen fiver to a safe place in South Korea.
We both had strong and brave fathers, Anne. They protected us. You were not happy to be missing school. I liked school too, but went for just a short time in second grade. After the war my father remarried. My step-mother and father had three children and needed me to help care for them, cook, carry water, feed farm animals, and do other farm work; but I wanted to go to school!
I married an American soldier when I was 23. I am lucky to be an American citizen now and learning English at Alhambra Library in California.
You were such a smart girl, Anne - a very smart girl! I feel bad about you dying in the concentration camp; but, I say, "Thank you!" to God for saving my life and giving us your book to read.
Thank you again!
Anonymous
Submitted to California Libraries by:
Alan Archer
President, CLA Literacy Interest Group
Posted by claadmin at 9:52 AM
January 21, 2010
Writer-to-Writer Challenge, Part III
What is the Writer-to-Writer Challenge? Adult literacy learners of the California Library Literacy Services are invited to read a book, any book. It can be fiction or non-fiction, written at any level, and can be a book-on-tape. They then write a letter to the author describing how the book changed their lives.
This year 188 adult learners entered the Challenge from 43 library literacy programs all over California. Their letters, based on their writing skill levels, were divided into four categories: Emerging, Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced. There are two rounds of judging: In the first round a panel of librarians and literacy specialists carefully selected the finalists in each category. In the second round, groups of learners reviewed the finalists' letters and picked the winner and runners-up in each category.
The letters of the winners will appear as a Four-part Series, continuing part three with this E-newsletter with a letter from Beginner winner Evonne Macias:
Evonne Macias
Hemet Public Library
Dear Dave Pelzer,
My name is Evonne Macias and I attend the Hemet Adult Literacy Program. At this time, I am trying to earn my GED. I am 54 years old and have now read your book, A Child Called It. I really did not think there was another mom as bad as mine, but after I read your book I realized that there was. I found that I was anxious and angry as I read. I was looking for any kind of joy, a joy that neither you, nor I have ever had.
In the beginning, I saw a mother with much love for her children. Unfortunately, your childhood happened during a time when people did not want to get involved in other people's business, and no one would say anything. These kinds of abuses were ignored. I felt all your pain and cried with you as I read. I know that deep down it really hurts because you were just a little boy.
I also grew up with an alcoholic mother and she was also very abusive. I can't tell you how much I hated her, day after day, I was always crying. And yes it started when I was around 2 or 3 years old. Your story has opened my eyes to the reality of what has happened and to the truthful pain. In addition to an abusive mother, my dad walked out on us when I was three. He was a truck driver who carried heavy loads of hay for the dairies, also an alcoholic, and decided to live in his truck. I have three brothers and I was the only girl. We were all abused, but I had it the worst. My dad would come home and it would only bring us more pain.
I remember that in your book, your mother had all of the control. That was how it happened with me. She was, and still is to this day, in control of the family and people around us. My grandmother, grandfather, all her sisters and brothers, cousins, our school, teachers and friends all knew this was going on and yet, I just can't understand how nothing was ever done. Your story was a lot like mine. except a person helped you, a teacher I believe. That person gave you the courage to survive. I was very naive and I didn't have that courage.
It was also very hard for me in school I never could remember what I learned. Whether it was reading, writing or math; I just couldn't learn it. I was also never able to attend high school. I could not read or write at all. I did, however, go to grammar school for ten years, repeating kindergarten and third grade. When I was 18 my mother came home looking for one of my brothers and he was not home. She was very upset and drunk. She got out the broom and started to hit us. As I got up to see what was going on and hit me over the head very hard. I was upset and crying! Then my brother, who was out, walked in and she hit him too. He was 16 at the time. She hit us all again and then told us all to go to bed.
That day, I don't know how, but I found the courage to go away. I put a few things into a green suitcase and ran away. It was about 3 a.m. and I never went back.. Reading your book gave me hope.
Now at 54 I am in this adult literacy program hoping to learn to read and write, hoping to get my GED. Thank you for your courage. Now is not the time to sacrifice myself, but the time to go on beyond my limits into a new world.
Respectfully,
Evonne Macias
Submitted to California Libraries by:
Alan Archer
President, CLA Literacy Interest Group
Posted by claadmin at 9:50 AM
November 25, 2009
Writer-to-Writer Challenge, Part II
What is the Writer-to-Writer Challenge? Adult literacy learners of the California Library Literacy Services are invited to read a book, any book. It can be fiction or non-fiction, written at any level, and can be a book-on-tape. They then write a letter to the author describing how the book changed their lives.
This year 188 adult learners entered the Challenge from 43 library literacy programs all over California. Their letters, based on their writing skill levels, were divided into four categories: Emerging, Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced. There are two rounds of judging: In the first round a panel of librarians and literacy specialists carefully selected the finalists in each category. In the second round, groups of learners reviewed the finalists' letters and picked the winner and runners-up in each category.
The letters of the winners will appear as a Four-part Series, continuing part two with this E-newsletter with a letter from Intermediate winner Larry Evans:
Larry Evans
Palmdale City Library
Dear Mr. Poitier:
My name is Larry Evans and it was at the age of fifty-one that I learned how to read. Your book was the first book I ever read from cover to cover. Thank you for the inspiration I received from reading The Measure of a Man. My comments will start with you growing up in the Bahamas. Being blessed with weather so warm and beautiful all year round to enjoy - what a life! That lifestyle would only be a dream for me. The closest thing I had to living on an island was an old television show called Gilligan's Island.
My hometown was somewhat like yours; we also carried water to drink and had to use an outhouse. It is easy for a country boy like me to relate to your life style as a boy. As I read your book about how you faced racism at a very young age, it made me think that racism is maybe part of the reason why it took me fifty-one years to read the English Language.
When you lived on Cat Island, there were only two Caucasians there and you were never introduced to the color of your skin; being told that you were not equal to whites after you moved to Nassau had to make you look at the world in a different way. As I read further you showed more pride and dignity in your book. Miami, Florida, is where you faced the common reality of America's racism; for example when the police forced you to walk down the street with a gun pointed at your back and said if you looked around, you would be shot. I could feel your frustration and hurt as you walked without looking around.
Leaving Florida was a good idea. But facing the mean streets of New York City, not to mention old man winter, was a harsh reality. When you joined the United States Army, it seemed like the right thing to do in order to escape New York's cold, cold winters. A lot of people would understand why a black man in the United States Army could not put up with racism in the 1950s and 60's. Returning to New York you started over.
The book especially held my attention when I read about how you learned how to read. You did this by reading the newspaper and with the help of a friend while you worked as a dishwasher in a restaurant. I continue to read with inspiration after you made your mind-up to become an actor and you became an excellent one. After I read your book, I sat back and thought of how much courage, strength and dignity you displayed throughout your life in all you did. My favorite part was reading how you refused to turn your back on your friends. Your book is my inspiration. Today I can read!
Sincerely,
Larry Evans
Submitted to California Libraries by:
Alan Archer
President, CLA Literacy Interest Group
Posted by claadmin at 9:20 AM
October 27, 2009
2009 Writer-to-Writer Challenge
A Writing Competition for Adult Literacy Learners
What is the Writer-to-Writer Challenge? Adult literacy learners of the California Library Literacy Services are invited to read a book, any book. It can be fiction or non-fiction, written at any level, and can be a book-on-tape. They then write a letter to the author describing how the book changed their lives.
This year 188 adult learners entered the Challenge from 43 library literacy programs all over California. Their letters, based on their writing skill levels, were divided into four categories: Emerging, Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced. There are two rounds of judging: In the first round a panel of librarians and literacy specialists carefully selected the finalists in each category. In the second round, groups of learners reviewed the finalists' letters and picked the winner and runners-up in each category.
The letters of the winners will appear as a Four-part Series beginning with this E-newsletter.
Alan Archer
President, CLA Literacy Interest Group
***
Winner: Advanced Writer
Sima Tawakoli
Berkeley Public Library
Dear Paulo Coelho,
I am honored by "my good fortune of the world," as you would say to be able to read your novel The Alchemist in two different languages, Farsi and English. I read the Farsi version of The Alchemist almost one decade ago when I had started to work as an architect and instructor. I read the English version of your novel when my English tutor, Judy bought it for me one very pleasant morning this June in Berkeley. Maybe one day I will have a chance to read it in your language which I am sure will be the best to understand fully all of the magic of the book.
Your book had a deep influence on my life. I had some idea of going to other countries and The Alchemist made this decision stronger. Four years ago, I left my country, Iran, "to look for my treasure," like Santiago did. I can tell you that not just for me but for any person who goes after his or her treasure this book is like a model. All of the things that happened in any chapter in The Alchemist, such as being disappointed, upset, hopeful, or persistent, happen to us seekers. My: life right now is in the chapter where Santiago is working in the Crystal shop, after he feels he has lost everything by being robbed. Sometime I feel I have lost my precious things by leaving my country. I know that I have to pass a few more chapters to find my treasure.
When I read your book again in English, I just remembered how much I enjoyed it for the wonderful truths, like the time that the king talked to Santiago, helping him make his decision about taking his trip and The King told him about a baker who postponed making his decisions for decades and who was still a baker.
It was almost one year after I left Iran when my Mother called to say she just learned the reason for my trip. She wasn't happy when I left. One night when she was missing me so much she slept in my bed where she found The Alchemist under my pillow. She read the book thinking may be she would get sleepy. However, she couldn't stop reading until dawn. When she called me her voice was strong." Now," she said," I understand you."
Thank you, Paulo Coelho for helping me explain my reason for leaving. When I left home, I couldn't explain in words why I had to go. Silently the understanding came when my mother read your words.
Very truly yours,
Sima Tawakoli
Posted by claadmin at 11:05 AM