Current LAL Awards

The 2023 Letters About Literature awards were celebrated on May 17, 2023. Alexandra Marshall provided a welcome from the Board and Representative Lindsay Sabadosa (First Hampshire) gave the legislative welcome.

Level I (Grades 4 through 6)

Top Honor:
Suryavir Jaisinhji Nallari-Jhala, Belmont Day School & Maria L. Baldwin School, Cambridge,
wrote to Michael Dorris about Morning Girl

Honors:
Ash Quasney-Sandler, The Rashi School, Dedham
Saabir Ameer, Al-Hamra Academy, Shrewsbury
Sofia Celli, Village School, Marblehead
Sofia Wolfe, A. W. Coolidge Middle School, Reading

Level II (Grades 7 and 8)

Top Honor:
Bryn Rufo, Whitinsville Christian School, wrote to James Patterson about Jacky Ha-Ha

Honors:
Avery Condon, Montrose School, Medfield
Caroline S. Euber, Wilbraham Middle School
Damilola Graciella Olabisi, Marblehead Veterans Middle School
Luca Rice, Gibbons Middle School, Westborough

Level III (Grades 9 through 12)

Top Honor:
Sophie Cutrer, Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, Oak Bluffs, wrote to Ned Vizzini about It’s Kind of a Funny Story

Honors:
Elyza Tuan, Montrose School, Medfield
Jane Lawley, Metheun High School
Maya Johnson, Melrose School
Yumna El-Dib, Al-Noor Academy, Mansfield

Commonwealth Judges in the 2023 Program

Celeste Bruno, Communications Director, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners; Daniel Guerrero, a professional audiovisual translator, an avid reader, and a volunteer in his local library’s ESL program; and Trey Jones, a teacher in the Northampton Public Schools. Screeners from Simmons University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Smith College assisted in the program as well.