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Letters About Literature Texas Contest
Congratulations to all the winners of the 2025-2026 Letters About Literature Texas Contest.
The Texas Center for the Book, under the direction of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, is delighted to announce the winners of the 2025-2026 Letters About Literature Texas contest, a statewide competition sponsored by the Texas Library and Archives Foundation.
In Letters About Literature, students read a book, poem, short story, or other written work and write a letter to an author—living or dead—explaining how his or her work changed their view of themselves or the world.
More than a thousand students entered from across the state, the highest number of entries since 2019. The field was strong with many excellent entries. There were three categories of competition: grades 4-6, grades 7-8 and grades 9-12.
First-place winners receive $300, as well as an additional $300 for their school library. Second-place winners receive $200, and third-place winners receive $100.
Many thanks to all the students who entered the contest.
Level I - Grades 4 Through 6
1st Place Winner: Dalia Goldman - from Houston, TX
Read Dalia's letter about Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
2nd Place Winner: Angelyn Anup - from Spring, TX
Read Angelyn's letter about Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr
3rd Place Winner: Samuel Webb - from San Antonio, TX
Read Samuel's letter about Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales by Nathan Hale
Level II Grades 7-8
1st Place Winner: Emily Rigoulot - from Friendswood, TX
Read Emily's letter about The Giver by Lois Lowry
2nd Place Winner: Rilyn Snell - from Friendswood, TX
Read Rilyn's letter about All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
3rd Place Winner: Charity Bremer - from Sinton, TX
Read Charity's letter about Diving Board by Shel Silverstein
Level III Grades 9-12
1st Place Winner: Sophia Haagenson - from Katy, TX
Read Sophia's letter about Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes
2nd Place Winner: Esmeralda Leal - from San Benito, TX
Read Esmeralda's letter about Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
3rd Place Winner: Zak Hu - from Carrollton, TX
Read Zak's letter about Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande