Past LAL Awards
Top Honors 2022
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Asma Al Ashabi, Grade 6, Al-Hamra Academy, Shrewsbury wrote to Pam Muñoz Ryan about Esperanza Rising
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Daniel Ng, Grade 8, Lesley Ellis School, Arlington, wrote to Gene Luen Yang about American Born Chinese
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Felicity Zhang, Grade 9, Concord-Carlisle High School, wrote to Gene Luen Yang about American Born Chinese
Top Honors 2021
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Bess S., Grade 6, Vassal Lane Upper School, Cambridge, wrote to Jacqueline Woodson about Harbor Me
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Evan S.C., Grade 8, Tyngsborough Middle School, wrote to Rainbow Rowell about Carry On
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Alexandra L., Grade 11, Belmont High School, wrote to Willa Cather about My Antonia
Top Honors 2020
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Henry G., Grade 6, Solomon Schechter Day School, Newton, wrote to Thanhhà Lai about Inside Out and Back Again
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Kowsar Adam, Grade 8, Alhuda Academy, Worcester, wrote to Padma Venkatraman about The Bridge Home
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Analua Alencar Moreira, Grade 11, Clapp Memorial Library, Belchertown, and Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School, South Hadley, wrote to Sherman Alexie about The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven
Top Honors 2019
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Evan F., Grade 6, Hopkinton Middle School, Hopkinton, wrote to Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld about Exclamation Mark
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Bezawit S. O., Grade 8, Montrose School, Medfield, wrote to Enid Blyton about The Faraway Tree
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Maya F., Grade 12, Goodrich Academy, Fitchburg, wrote to H.P. Lovecraft about “On the Creation of
N—”
Top Honors 2018
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Maya E., Grade 6, High Rock School, Needham, wrote to Trish Cook about A Really Awesome Mess
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Owen F., Grade 7, Hopkinton, wrote to Oscar Wilde about The Picture of Dorian Gray
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Katherine Y., Grade 10, Algonquin Regional High School, Northborough, wrote to Jeffrey McDaniel about “The Quiet World”
Top Honors 2017
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Owen F., Grade 6, Hopkinton, wrote to Charles Dickens about A Christmas Carol
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Nicholas W., Grade 8, Marblehead, wrote to Jay Asher about Thirteen Reasons Why
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Oliver B., Grade 9, Brookline, wrote to Cristina Garcia about Dreaming in Cuban
Top Honors 2016
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Calla K., Grade 5, Bedford, wrote to Anne Braff Brodzinsky about The Mulberry Bird
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Ning-Er L., Grade 7, Cambridge, wrote to Malala Yousafzai about I Am Malala
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Sabrina S., Grade 12, Northborough, wrote to Sylvia Plath about The Bell Jar
Top Honors 2015
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Andy D., Grade 6, Wellesley, wrote to Jerry Spinelli about Jake and Lily
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Isabelle T., Grade 7, Marblehead, wrote to Rick Riordan about The Red Pyramid
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Tara P., Grade 12, Revere, wrote to Malcolm X about The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Elizabeth W., Grade 12, Northborough, wrote to Jack Prelutsky about “The Moth”
Top Honors 2014
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Becky M., Grade 6, Wellesley, wrote to Dr. Seuss about One Fish Two Fish, Red Fish Blue Fish **NATIONAL WINNER
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Layla N., Grade 7, Worcester, wrote to Markus Zusak about The Book Thief
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Sally Y., Grade 12, East Longmeadow, wrote to Markus Zusak about I Am the Messenger
Top Honors 2013
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Dalton V., Grade 6, Hingham, wrote to Jerry Spinelli about Stargirl *National Honorable Mention
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Rebecca H., Grade 8, Sharon, wrote to John Green about The Fault in Our Stars
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Matt H., Grade 10, Harwich Port, wrote to Harper Lee about To Kill a Mockingbird
Top Honors 2012
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Mira P., Grade 4, Middleton, wrote to Rick Riordan about The Lightning Thief
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Javon T., Grade 8, Cambridge, wrote to Rick Riordan about The Lightning Thief
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Annie S., Grade 10, Boston, wrote to Elie Wiesel about Night
Top Honors 2011
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Maryam S., Grade 6, Shrewsbury, wrote to Jerry Spinelli about Maniac McGee **NATIONAL WINNER
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Shane G., Grade 8, Methuen, wrote to Dustin Pedroia about Born to Play
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Marcus C., Grade 12, Pittsfield, wrote to Shel Silverstein about The Giving Tree
Top Honors 2010
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Eliana K., Grade 6, Needham, wrote to Anne Frank about The Diary of a Young Girl
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Saed S., Grade 7, Shrewsbury, wrote to Elizabeth George Speare about The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Nicole S., Grade 12, Northborough, wrote to J.D. Salinger about The Catcher in the Rye
Top Honors 2009
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Dianne L., Grade 5, Newton, wrote to Trenton Lee Stewart about The Mysterious Benedict Society
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Sara B., Grade 8, Hampden, wrote to Anne Frank about The Diary of Anne Frank
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Kelly C., Grade 10, Harwich, wrote to James Frey about A Million Little Pieces
Top Honors 2008
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Michael H., Grade 5, East Longmeadow, wrote to Greg Mortenson about Three Cups of Tea *National Honorable Mention
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Ja-Lene S., Grade 8, Somerville, wrote to Sharon Draper about Copper Sun
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Ryan H., Grade 11, Marblehead, wrote to Jodi Picoult about Nineteen Minutes *National Honorable Mention
Top Honors 2007
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Madison S., Grade 5, Marlboro, wrote to E. L. Konigsburg about From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Adriano L., Grade 8, Boston, wrote to Louis Sachar about Holes
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Ali U., Grade 11, Millers Falls, wrote to L.M. Montgomery about Anne of Green Gables
Top Honors 2006
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Bruno A., Grade 6, Brockton, wrote to David Pelzer about A Child Called It
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Janelle G., Grade 7, Salisbury, wrote to Elie Wiesel about Night
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Jessenia G., Grade 11, Worcester, wrote to Sandra Cisneros about Woman Hollering Creek
Top Honors 2005
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Karlee S., Grade 5, Ayer, wrote to Shel Silverstein about “The Voice”
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Katharine H., Grade 8, Melrose, wrote to Frances Hodgson Burnett about The Secret Garden
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Karen W., Grade 12, wrote to Katherine Mansfield about Miss Brill
Top Honors 2004
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Brya S. G., Grade 5, Bolton, wrote to Anne McCaffrey about Dragonflight
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Emily L., Grade 7, Holliston, wrote to Andrew Clements about The School Story
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Gregory T., Grade 10, Westminster, wrote to Valerie Tripp about Kit Learns a Lesson **NATIONAL WINNER
Top Honors 2003
Level I (Grades 4 through 6)
Taylor S., Grade 6, Framingham, wrote to Emily Bronte about Jane Eyre
Level II (Grades 7 and 8)
Andrea N., Grade 8, Melrose, wrote to John Hersey about Hiroshima
Level III (Grades 9 through 12)
Kate P., Grade 9, East Harwich, wrote to Cynthia Voigt about Dicey’s Song *National Honorable Mention
Top Honors 2002
Level I (Grades 4 through 7)
Lauren T., Grade 7, Worcester, wrote to Douglas Wood about Grandad’s Prayers of the Earth
Level II (Grades 8 through 12)
Jamie L. B., Grade 10, Harwich, wrote to Sara Shandler about Ophelia Speaks
Top Honors 2001
Level I (Grades 4 through 7)
Alison P., Grade 7, North Brookfield, wrote to Katherine Paterson about Bridge to Terabithia
Level II (Grades 8 through 12)
Zoe P., Grade 8, Newton, wrote to James Hurst about The Scarlet Ibis
Jane P., Grade 11, Waltham, wrote to Andrew Marvell about “To His Coy Mistress”