>> From the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. >> John Cole: Good afternoon everyone, good afternoon! Welcome to the world of Library of Congress Reading and Literacy Promotion Contest for young people. Reading is what this festival is all about, and we thought we would give you an opportunity to meet some of the winners of two of the major contests sponsored by the Library of Congress to encourage young people in reading. This is a recognition ceremony with a twist. You're going to actually hear letters and meet some of the winners. My name is John Cole. I'm the Director of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, which is the reading and literacy promotion arm of the library. And I'm joined by some of my colleagues at the Library of Congress, and some of the people who care very much about reading, so much that they're devoting their time and their efforts to these programs. The first one is called Letters About Literature. Letters about Literature is a program that was created by the Center for the Book in the 1980s, and it has as its purpose invited young people grades 4 through 12 to write a letter to an author, living or deceased, about how that author's book, or poem, or work of writing has affected that young person's life. This past year more than 50,000 young readers from around the country participated in letters about literature. It has funding from the Library of Congress' James Madison Council, and additional support for the Center for the Book, of the literacy arm of the library. The initiative, again, the purpose is to help instill a life-long love of reading in the nation's youth. This year, we had winners from all over the country, but since 1997, more than one million students have participated in this contest. This year's winners are from all parts of the country and wrote to authors as diverse as Sandra Pinkney, Walter Isaacson, whom you are going to meet in a second, Elie Wiesel, and Art Spiegelman. Each state center for the book sponsors a competition and this year the national prize has gone to the first time to a winner from Maine. His name is Gabriel "Gabe" Ferris, and I've already told you the secret, he has written a letter to Walter Isaacson about how Walter Isaacson's biography of Peter Jobs helped shape Gabe, and it is a prize-winning national letter. And to first to welcome Gabe, let's give him a hand. He's going to come up [applause]. His parents and family are here, and we are very pleased to have this family occasion, and Maine is very proud of you, Gabe. Secondly, Walter Isaacson has kindly agreed to join us, and to be the recipient of, in person, of Gabe's comments about his book. Gabe is one of the youngest reviewers, I think probably, of the Steve Jobs book. But Walter, would you like to come up? Walter is, as you know [applause], Walter is the President of the Aspen Institute. He is a well-known American biographer. He has been at the book festival before for previous books. But this is, I think, the first time he is going to be surprised a little bit about how a young person was influenced by his book. Take it away, Gabe, and you can read into that mic, is that okay? Okay? >> Gabe Ferris: Dear Walter Isaacson. For the last few years, I've been obsessively interested about computers, especially Macs. I picked up a copy of your book about Steve Jobs, excited by the thought that I might find a few technical nuggets that could broaden my horizons. I learned nothing about technology by reading your book [audience laughter], but rather an unintended lesson on the delicate tightrope that often divides extreme business success and extreme failure in personal relationships. Like so many highly successful people, Steve Jobs was driven by something that not many people have. This special something is called singular focus. As a result, Jobs had the ability to focus on only one thing, and to tune out everything that didn't align with his end goal. Throughout the book, I found myself questioning if Steve's high level of business success was worth the price he paid on a personal level. Many a teenager in the 21st Century would like nothing more than to be Steve Jobs, the founder of one of the largest, coolest businesses in the world. This was true about me, until the day I flipped open the cover of your book. Reading about his rags to riches story that started in his garage was inspirational, and at times, entertaining. However, overshadowing all of this was the mess he made of his personal life, and even some relationships in his business life. At times, I felt bad for those around him. It was uncomfortable to look into his world and see the pain caused by his behavior. Despite these feelings, I couldn't put down your book. You brought me into his world in a way that no other book has. It inspired me. The reason your book inspired me was because it taught me that failing and taking risks in business is not bad. Your writing actually taught me that risk-taking, as well as failing, can be good to an extent. The concept that failing can be ultimately productive played out many times in the story of Steve's life. Additionally, I was also inspired by examples of what I didn't want to be. It showed me that true singular focus can be very expensive in human relationships. Steve Jobs was so focused on his singular goal, that he would ignore some of the most important things in his life, family and friends. Steve went so far as not seeing his girlfriend, who he had a daughter with. When reading this part of your book, I had to go back and re-read the section, because it seems so surreal to me that a person could actually say no to seeing his own daughter. When putting myself in Steve's position, I could never imagine doing something as extreme as this. I found myself asking if this behavior was normal for Silicon Valley executives. Is this the value of family life typically lost in pursuit of the Silicon Valley dream? The same singular focus that interfered with family life also contributed to failed relationships at work. Steve Jobs had a single vision, and he wasn't generally open to deviations. As I read his story, I realized he wasn't anyone I want to work for. His co-workers complained that he was too determined, and in fact, acted like an unpredictable small child. A perfect example of this is when Steve worked at Atari. His inability to work with others had him restricted to work hours when no one else was around [audience laughter]. When I first read the chapter about his days at Atari, I didn't really understand how someone can be too determined, too driven, and too rigid. It was not until many chapters later that I started to realize that the same factors that played into his extreme success were the very factors that contributed to his personal human failure in almost all of his relationships. I remember at a point where I stopped reading to try to pull my thoughts together, as my vision of what I thought was a model life story was falling apart. It has only been a month or so since I finished your book on Steve Jobs. I still think about it. You changed my life in a way I didn't anticipate. I am conflicted about the price of success. At 14 years old, I haven't read a lot of biographies that detail the personal lives of super successful people. I understand that an underlying theme for the super successful is being fully dedicated to the goal at hand. Steve Jobs' behavior reminds me of the old saying that nothing succeeds like excess. Is excess a requirement for extreme success? Your story leaves me wondering if this is the case, in struggling with the balance between still wanting to do something great, while still being someone great. Consequently, your book created more questions in my life than it answered [laughter]. ^M00:08:52 [ Applause ] ^M00:09:04 >> John Cole: Well Walter has agreed to provide his comments. >> Walter Isaacson: Just a couple of words, first of all Gabriel, thank you for writing the most insightful review. Not only of my book, but of Steve Jobs' life, and it really [applause] a sophisticated take that you had on it, and I'm really glad that the book left you wondering. Because books are not supposed to answer every question, they're supposed to raise questions about what is life all about and what are we supposed to do. It is particularly true of biography. You know, people sometimes ask me, well I read your biography of Steve Jobs, and I'm going to be just like Steve, or I'm going to do it this way, or-and I say "Wait, this isn't a how-to book, this is a biography of a flesh and blood person." That is true of Benjamin Franklin. That is true of Einstein, all the people I've written about. And when you realize that there are things in their life that are conflicting, that's when you get the questions that make it so interesting, and I do think you have to realize that Steve Jobs was a perfectionist, was passionate, was the most creative person of our time, I'm looking at an audience, where all I see is iPhones, and people videotaping this with iPhones, and part of that passion for perfection made him drive himself and those around him. ^M00:10:30 And yet, also it made him lead a life that we don't want to just say "I want to be just like him," we've got to learn from him. Throughout the book, as you know, there are people who ask the question, starting with Andy Hertzfeld, and Steve Wozniak, all the way to the end, of the only question I have about Steve is did he have to be so tough? Did he have to be so mean? I'm a biographer, so I didn't try to answer that question. I wanted each reader to look into his or her heart, and answer that question. And I think you did a remarkable job in your letter doing that. ^M00:11:09 [ Applause ] ^M00:11:17 >> Walter Isaacson: Thank you [applause continues]. >> It is my honor, John and mine, and great pleasure, wow, this is cool [laughter]. Center for the Book, Gabriel Ferris, Letters About Literature, the National Award. ^M00:11:35 [ Applause ] ^M00:11:50 [ Inaudible Comments ] ^M00:11:58 >> John Cole: We're not done yet by any means. Next up is a wonderful new program from the Library of Congress called A Book That Shaped Me Program. This is the National Book Festival's Summer Writing Contest, which asks rising fifth and sixth graders to reflect, again, on a book that has changed or affected the way they see themselves, others or the world. This is a summer contest, and it is aimed at fifth and sixth graders. The contest is administered through the local public library systems in the mid-Atlantic region. This year, we have entries from the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. We are honored to have young people's writer, Fred Bowen, who also is the kids' post sports writer for the Washington Post, many of you, I think, have read Fred's insights. Fred will read the names of the finalists, and the state winners, and interview the grand prize winners. He is here with Lola Pine from The Office of Communications, which managed this year's contest for the library, and the National Book Festival, with the assistance of Verona Head [assumed spelling], and Cory Freeman, from the library's Services Office. Before I turn it over, I should realize I didn't recognize Kathy Gorley [assumed spelling], who is the Director of our Letters About Literature Project, and I want Kathy to be recognized as well, along with your applause for the folks who have organized a book that shaped me, let's give the Administrators of our awards a hand. ^M00:13:35 [ Applause ] ^M00:13:40 >> John Cole: And now I am pleased to turn the program over to Fred. >> Fred Bowen: Alright, good afternoon. That's right, my name is Fred Bowen, and I'm delighted to be here with so many kids who will enjoy reading and writing. Now, I used to be a lawyer, but now I'm a kids' writer, which a lot of people think is a great improvement [audience laughter] and I make my living as a writer. And I can tell you that it is the ability to write well is something that will take you a long way, and it is a lot of fun. And that is the idea behind this contest. And that is that you read a book, you get shaped by the book, and then you write about it. Let me say a few words about how the contest happened before we get started. As John mentioned, we asked students to write a one-page essay about a book that they felt shaped their lives. They had to write the essays themselves, and then they had to go to the public library to turn them in and enter the contest. The essays were judged by members of the American Association of School Librarians, and then the final essays were judged by a panel, which I was part of. And I'm not sure, are there any other members of the judges who are here today? So we can acknowledge you. I know it was a close contest. Maybe they don't want to be seen [audience laughter]. So, but it was very close. It was very difficult to pick a winner. And this year, the contest received more than 200 entries. And today, what we are doing is we bring the 30 finalists and state winners together, and the three grand prize winners. And the three grand prize winners will read their essays. Now, I'm going to read the names of the finalists by state, and Lola Pine and Verona Head will hand them their certificates and medals as they come up on the stage. Now, before I read the names, I want to apologize if I get anyone's name wrong, because I've been a writer now for 20 years. My name is Fred Bowen. I've been introduced as Fred Brown, Frank Bowen, Frank Bowan, lots of different names. So it doesn't ruin your career if I get your name wrong [audience laughter], alright? The Washington D.C. finalists, some may not be here, but Isha Iengar [phonetic spelling]. ^M00:16:26 [ Applause ] ^M00:16:32 >> Frank Bowen: Naomi Johnson [applause]. Maya Lall [applause]. Savannah Wright [applause]. And the District winner from the Martin Luther King Jr. Library, Mason Gray [applause]. ^E00:16:59 ^B00:17:05 >> Frank Bowen: Very cool. Alright, next is Maryland. Olivia Fuller from the Carroll County Public Library [applause]. Emma Journigan, from the Carroll County Public Library [applause]. Rama Majid [assumed spelling] from Prince George's public library [applause]. Julie Walsh, Carroll County Public Library [applause]. And the Maryland winner, Naria H. Lemma [assumed spelling], from Enoch Pratt Free Library [applause]. ^E00:18:01 ^B00:18:07 >> Frank Bowen: Now from Virginia, Enya Umbarish [assumed spelling], Prince William Public Library [applause]. Elaine Lee, Arlington Public Library [applause]. Joshue Liam [assumed spelling], Prince William Public Library [applause]. Patrick McMahan, Mary Riley Styles Public Library [applause]. And the Virginia winner, Alexia DeCosta [assumed spelling], Arlington Public Library [applause]. ^E00:18:58 ^B00:19:01 >> Frank Bowen: Next we have the State of Delaware, Dean Greenfield, Newcastle County Public Library [applause]. Donny Morton, again Newcastle County [applause]. Bridget Katherine Sweeny, Wilmington Institute Library [applause]. Lauren Woods, Newcastle County [applause], and the Delaware winner, Megan Corwick [assumed spelling], Newcastle County Kirkwood Library [applause]. ^E00:19:53 ^B00:20:00 >> Frank Bowen: The finalists from Pennsylvania, Aliyah C. Bell [assumed spelling], Berks County Public System [applause]. Robert Gardner, Free Library of Philadelphia [applause]. Moira Eloise Johnson, Chester County Library [applause]. Christina Trojek [assumed spelling], York County Library System [applause]. ^E00:20:46 ^B00:20:50 >> Frank Bowen: And the Pennsylvania winner is Allison Templeton, Bucks County Free Library [applause]. Last, but not least are the finalists from West Virginia, Emily Bennett, Southern Area Public Library [applause], Gwenid Ellis [assumed spelling], Martinsburg Berkeley County Public Library [applause], Anna Monson, Martinsburg Berkeley County Public Library [applause]. Emma Samples, Southern Area Library, and the West Virginia winner is Deckland Mongoven [assumed spelling], Martinsburg Berkeley County Public Library [applause]. Now those are all our finalists. Let's give all the finalists and the state winners a big hand. ^M00:21:57 [ Applause ] ^M00:22:05 >> Frank Bowen: Now, what we're going to do is present the awards for the grand prize winners. I will introduce them, and then they will read their essays and then I'll talk to them, ask them a few questions about their essays. So would Naria H. Lemma [assumed spelling] and Enoch Public, or Pratt Library, who wrote about Homesick, by Jean Fritz, please come out? ^M00:22:32 [ Applause ] ^M00:22:40 >> Naria H. Lemma: A book that shaped the way I view my family. I learned that many years ago my grandparents were arrested by soldiers for no reason, but more on that later. Recently, I read a non-fiction school reading book called Homesick, by Jean Fritz. This book had a big impact on my life, because it inspired me to learn more about my family's Ethiopian history. Homesick centers around a courageous 10-year-old girl named Jean Fritz, who lived in Hankou, China, during the communist revolution in 1913. During that period of upheaval, there is a lot of rioting, protesting and demonstrations. This is a very scary period of time for the Chinese people. There is a lot of fighting, and people were dying in the streets. Although I already knew a little bit about the Ethiopian Revolution, the book inspired me to learn more. So I decided to interview my grandmother. She taught me that there are a lot of similarities between Ethiopia and China's communist revolution. In both Ethiopia and China, there are Emperors and Empresses for thousands of years before the communists took over. Hankou, an industrial city in China, had become a central point for strikes and agitation. Addis Ababa, the Capitol of Ethiopia, where my family is from, had also become the central point for the revolution. Like in China, many terrifying things happened in Ethiopia. My grandmother explained to me that the communist army took over the government and imprisoned the Emperor, and then murdered him. My grandparents were arrested and placed in jail cells for a day because the soldiers suspected that they were part of the resistance, and sending secret messages about the revolution. They were released when the soldiers couldn't find any proof against them. In Homesick, Jean and her family had to leave China in a hurry. Her father came home one day out of breath and told them that they had three hours to pack before leaving China. The Nationalist Army was getting close, and the soldiers had gone wild. Jean, who was close in age to myself, could feel her knees beginning to shake. During the interview with my grandmother, she told me how she and her family escaped the country secretly. After their release from jail, my grandparents decided that they were going to leave the country because it was too dangerous to stay behind. Just like Jean and her family, the soldiers had made it illegal to leave, so my family had to sneak out of the country. They packed a few clothes, took some jewelry and some photo albums. They left everything else behind. They told no one that they were leaving, except for my great-grandmother and her sister. Even after they got on the plane, my grandmother did not feel safe until they were far away. Learning about these times of turmoil and how my family had the courage to get through it, makes me feel proud of them. The book Homesick is based on the life of the author, Jean Fritz, and how her family had to show tremendous courage throughout the entire book. For both Jean and my family, they could have been killed, but they are brave and careful enough to get out alive. I am proud that both our families were so brave and escaped from scary and bad situations. Thank you. ^M00:25:46 [ Applause ] ^M00:25:55 >> Frank Bowen: Well that was wonderful. I guess the first question is, how long ago did you interview your grandmother? >> Naria H. Lemma: About a month ago. >> Frank Bowen: A month ago, okay. So is your grandmother here? >> Naria H. Lemma: Yes. >> Frank Bowen: Where is she? I think she deserves a hand. >> Naria H. Lemma: She's in the third row, with the flowers. >> Frank Bowen: Oh, there we go. ^M00:26:10 [ Applause ] ^M00:26:18 >> Frank Bowen: Now, had you known anything about those things before you interviewed them? >> Naria H. Lemma: I knew about half of them, but my grandmother told me the rest. >> Frank Bowen: What was the most surprising, the thing that really surprised you the most when you found that out? >> Naria H. Lemma: That my grandmother and grandfather were placed in jail. >> Frank Bowen: Oh yeah, I guess that would be a surprise. Since, and all I can say, well that was a wonderful essay, and I have a 21-month-old granddaughter, and I can only hope that someday she'll be as proud of me as you are of your grandmother. So thank you, very much. That was wonderful. >> Naria H. Lemma: Thank you. ^M00:26:54 [ Applause ] ^E00:27:04 ^B00:27:19 >> Frank Bowen: Alright, now the second place grand prize winner, would Allison Templeton, of Bucks County Library, who wrote about the Harry Potter series, which I've never heard of [audience laughter], uh, please come up? ^M00:27:39 [ Applause and Cheers ] ^M00:27:45 >> Allison Templeton: Harry Potter, the series that shaped me. Harry Potter was a boy who lived. Harry Potter opened my life to the world someone's imagination can create. Harry Potter provided a doorway to being less lonely. Harry Potter magically transformed negative thoughts and stress into positive thoughts and relaxation. Harry Potter was a series that shaped me. A small thought. The faintest trace of a character can be transformed into a whole world of love, joy, sadness, laughter, loyalty and loneliness. The Harry Potter series inspired me to open my eyes and write. I have started a notebook in which I can record story ideas. The part of the story I focus the most on are the characters. The way the Harry Potter characters were formed, each unique and larger than life, with such small details, turning them into friends and enemies, heroes and villains, created a story that I am not likely to ever forget. Optimistic, quirky Luna Lovegood was especially endearing to me. The way she remains happy and true to herself, even after losing her mother, inspired me to anticipate the future, rather than wallow in the past. The handprint that each character left on my heart showed me how one idea can change someone's life. In addition to inspiring me to use my imagination in a more creative way, the Harry Potter series also helped me feel less lonely. I started reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in fourth grade. I had just been redistricted to a new school, and I was having a hard time making friends. Thanks to Harry Potter, I had something to talk to people about, because so many people had read the books. It also provided a way for me to stay connected with an old friend. Without the same teachers, classes, or even friends in common anymore, we turned to Harry Potter as a topic of conversation. We spent hours debating whether Professor Snape was good or evil. We laughed about Fred and George Weasley's funny sayings. Being able to discuss our favorite characters, our emotions while reading, and predictions about what would happen next, helped hold our friendship together. Another way the Harry Potter books shaped me is that reading the books was a great stress relief. They provided an escape for me. I forgot all about grades, tests, and friend problems. When I started reading, it was just Harry, Ron, Hermoine and I. I could relate to what was happening in the books to my own problems. For example, I had a teacher this year who I thought picked on me. I was often upset to see how she singled me out for criticism, but it made me laugh to see similarities between my relationship with her, and Harry's problems with Professor Snape and umbrage. Also, when Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry's two best friends, Ron and Hermoine, are fighting, and Harry is caught in the middle. It reminded me that even though it can be awkward to be caught between two friends, it's normal, and will work out. The real magic of Harry Potter, though, is that it sparked a creative streak in me, created a hideout when I felt stressed, and created an opportunity to make new friends. Harry Potter is truly the series that shaped me. ^M00:31:01 [ Applause ] ^M00:31:11 >> Frank Bowen: Yeah, that was wonderful. I know that there are seven books right? Do you have a favorite, and any reason why one might be a favorite? >> Allison Templeton: My favorite is the Deathly Hallows, because it is the most exciting, and you find out, like, all the secrets. Like all your questions are answered [laughter]. >> Frank Bowen: Okay. That's good for me to know. What about, you said that you were writing more. What kind of writing? What kind of stories do you like to make up in your notebook? >> Allison Templeton: Well, stories about kids who are like my age, just going through stuff that people don't usually write about, kind of like normal stuff. >> Frank Bowen: Okay. Very good. Do you want to be a writer? >> Allison Templeton: A broadway writer or an actress. >> Frank Bowen: Okay, well good luck with both. >> Allison Templeton: Thank you. ^M00:32:01 [ Applause ] ^E00:32:09 ^B00:32:19 [ Applause ] ^M00:32:24 >> Frank Bowen: And finally, would Alexia DeCosta, of Arlington Public Library, who wrote about Rules by Cynthia Lord, please come up. Alexia is the first place grand prize winner, and Virginia State winner. ^M00:32:38 [ Applause ] ^M00:32:45 >> Alexia DeCosta: A book that shaped me is Rules, by Cynthia Lord. Have you wondered why there are so many rules that we are expected to follow? I have always wondered about this, and that is what got me interested in reading the book Rules by Cynthia Lord. That and the fact that the main character, Katherine, likes to paint, just like I do, and has a little brother named David, who has autism. My little brother is also named David, but he is not autistic. Although my original question wasn't answered, what I ended up learning from this book is of immeasurable value. Rules has taught me to value every person, even though it might sometimes be difficult to do so, due to differences in opinion, appearance, or status in life. Rules has made me value my individuality, and not fear being myself. I am just as good and valuable as any other person on this planet. I learned not to fear criticism and rejection, as it is just part of life. Katherine was fearful of people's opinions. She tells her friend, Jason, who is disabled, that in the beginning she was scared of what people might think of her, if she told them that Jason was in a wheelchair and used a communication book to get his messages through. But later, she realizes that there is nothing to be embarrassed about in having a disabled friend. Unlike Katherine, my little brother, David, is normal, but barely [audience laughter]. I don't wake up thinking, "I wish someone would invent a pill so David would wake up one morning without autism," but I must admit that a pill to make my brother David talk less does sound tempting [audience laughter]. My brother can be left to look after himself without supervision, and I don't have to make any special rules for him, but he certainly needs some rules to keep him out of trouble. Like Katherine, I also do have to worry about my brother embarrassing me in front of my friends, but only because he can sometimes act weird and goofy. No one's life is perfect, and we all experience ups and downs. Some of us more than others. However, in contrast to Katherine's life, which she describes as unfair, cruel, ruined and murky, I feel that my life has many blessings for which I am very grateful. And one of those blessings is having my little brother. When I feel down, I now think of others who have more serious problems than I do, and I can count on my brother, David, to find ways to cheer me up. More importantly, Rules has shaped the way I think about myself and others. I have learned that I should not label myself or others in any discriminating way, as in the case of Katherine's brother David, I realize that sometimes people forget that everyone is a person of value. When Katherine was thinking about wiping away David's autism, she remembers her third grade teacher's words that all people have a place. Rules has made me realize that we need to accept people for their differences. ^E00:36:30