Winners in California, 2007

Level I – Grades 4-6

California: Level I First Place Winner Julie Greiner Redwood Middle School, Thousand Oaks Wrote to Shel Silverstein, author of The Giving Tree Click here to download Julie's letter (pdf)

Finalists:
Kathy Camenzind, San Ramon , wrote to Erin Hunter, author of Into the Wild [pdf]
Nate Entz, Three Rivers, wrote to Brian Jacques, author of Mossflower [pdf]
Isabella Hutchinson, Culver City, wrote to Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn [pdf]
Isabella Krug, Upland, wrote to Janet Shaw, author of Meet Kirsten [pdf]
Anushka Patil, Cupertino, wrote to Lois Lowry, author of The Giver [pdf]
Natalie Roodman, Simi Valley, wrote to Kate Dicamillo, author of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane [pdf]
Kate Rowey, Culver City, wrote to Jeanne Wakatsuki, author of Farewell to Manzanar [pdf]
Mariah Steiger, Windsor, wrote to Bette Green, author of Summer of my German Soldier [pdf]
Ann Taylor, Templeton, wrote to Gannett, author of My Father's Dragon [pdf]

Click here to view the Level I Semi-Finalists

• Darby Adams, Burbank, wrote to Lorena A. Hickok, author of Helen Keller
  Lauren Adaska, Three Rivers, wrote to Cornelia Funke, author of Inkheart and Inkspell
  Emily Cope, Upland, wrote to Kathryn Lasky, author of Bald Eagle
  Troy Davis, Alta Loma, wrote to Sheryl McFarlane, author of Christmas After All
  Nicholas Derderian, Thousand Oaks, wrote to Phillip Pullman, author of The Amber Spyglass
  Andie Von Eschen, Mill Valley, wrote to Kristiana Gregory, author of The Winter of Red Snow
  Melissa French, Santa Rose, wrote to Chris Platt, author of Willow King
  Drew Hanson, Newport Beach, wrote to Gary Paulsen, author of Brian's Hunt
  Miina Juvonen, Los Angeles, wrote to Andrew Clements, author of Things Not Seen
  Karina Kalinina, N Hollywood, wrote to Kathryn Lasky, author of Hope in my Heart: Sofia's Immigrant Diary
  Maddie Kerr, Rancho Santa Fe, wrote to Mike Lupica, author of Travel Team
  Miller Klitsner, Mill Valley, wrote to Jerry Spinelli, author of Loser
  Brian Lambrigger, El Segundo, wrote to J K Rowling, author of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Pirnce
  Zoey Lieber, Los Angeles, wrote to Tamora Pierce, author of Song of the Lioness
  Hannah Lundberg, Upland, wrote to Johanna Reiss, author of The Upstairs Room
  Katie Gill-Martinez, Santa Monica, wrote to Rebecca Hazell, author of The Tennessee Tornado
  Katie Gowin, Union City, wrote to Pam Munoz Ryanl, author of Esperanza Rising
  Larissa Gamalinda, Upland, wrote to Sue Monk Kidd, author of The Secret Life of Bees
  Daisy Macias, Pomona, wrote to Beverly Cleary, author of Ramona and Her Mother
  Maliana Medeiros, San Diego , wrote to Sally Huss, author of I Love You with All My Hearts
  Tulasi Mims, Santa Monica, wrote to E L Konigsberg, author of Silent to the Bone
  Arturo Munoz, South Gate, wrote to Lois Lenski, author of Indian Captive
  Kerianne Noonan, Santa Rose, wrote to Joanna Campbell, author of A Horse Called Wonder
  Lily O'Connell, Santa Rose, wrote to Judy Blume, author of Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great
  Kenny Ohata, Santa Clara, wrote to Dan Gutman, author of The Million Dollar Kick
  Vinit Patel, Union City, wrote to J K Rowling, author of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  Kirsty Pecson, Redding, wrote to Jean Fritz, author of Homesick, My Own Story
  Jamie Petrucci, Burlingame, wrote to Ellen Raskin, author of The Westing Game
  Daisy Schadlich, Santa Rose, wrote to Kate Dicamillo, author of Because of Winn-Dixie
  Kyle Smith, Encinitas, wrote to Wilson Rawls, author of Where the Red Fern Grows
  Michael Wagmeister, Santa Monica, wrote to Lois Lowry, author of The Giver
  Jimmy Zhou, Arcadia, wrote to Patricia Polacco, author of Thank You, Mr. Falker

Level II – Grades 7-8

California: Level II First Place Winner Michael Sturgis Pioneer Junior High School, Upland Wrote to Louis Sachar, author of Small Steps Click here to download Michael's letter (pdf)

Finalists:
Alanna Araujo, Hersperia, wrote to Norton Juster, author of The Phantom Tollbooth [pdf]
Clara Becka, Redondo Beach, wrote to E L Konigsburg, author of The View from Saturday [pdf]
Jordan Borg, Granite Bay, wrote to Natasha Friend, author of Perfect [pdf]
Teresa Castillo, Los Angeles, wrote to Dave Pelzer, author of A Child Called 'It' [pdf]
Shannon M. Coey, Santiago MS, wrote to Julie Anne Peters, author of Define 'Normal' [pdf]
Aubrey Sara Kaye, Camarillo, wrote to Cornelia Funke, author of Inkheart [pdf]
Leann Lo, Sanger, wrote to Anne Holm, author of I Am David [pdf]
Miriam Michelle Million, San Diego, wrote to J K Rowling, author of Harry Potter series [pdf]
Cindy Tay, Fremont, wrote to Jack London, author of White Fang [pdf]

Click here to view the Level II Semi-Finalists

• Natalie Abel, Santa Monica, wrote to Jonathan Stroud, author of The Bartimaeus Trilogy
  Cara Ablett, Upland, wrote to Erin Gruwell, author of The Freedom Writers Diary
  Elizabeth Alexander, Benecia, wrote to Jodi Picoult, author of My Sister's Keeper
  Katie Jo Ash, Camarillo, wrote to Adeline Yen Mah, author of Chinese Cinderella
  Ariel Blandford, Ukiah, wrote to Shannon Hale, author of Princess Academy
  Elise Boretz, Upland, wrote to Suzanne Staples Fisher, author of Haveli
  Phoebe Brown, Pleasanton, wrote to Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief
  Ashley Chen, Carmichael, wrote to Elisa Carbone, author of Stealing Freedom
  Rachel Colleen Saad, Pasadena, wrote to Scott Westerfeld, author of Uglies
  Kaila Corrington, Upland, wrote to Wendelin van Dragnen, author of Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway
  Danielle DeLao, Hersperia, wrote to Anonymous, author of Go Ask Alice
  Michael Dozal, Culver City, wrote to Max Velthuijs, author of Elephant and Crocodile
  James Estrada, Hacienda Heights, wrote to Adeline Yen Mah, author of Chinese Cinderella
  Brianna Foster, Camarillo, wrote to C S Lewis, author of A Grief Observed
  Therese Gallegos, Fairfield, wrote to Mary  Shelley, author of Frankenstein
  Mary Haithcoat, MS Library, wrote to Garth Nix, author of Lirael
  Corri Hager, MS Library, wrote to Ann Brashares, author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
  Teryn Hara, Sacramento, wrote to D J MacHale, author of Pendragon series
  Josh Harrison, Corona del Mar , wrote to Harry H Crosby, author of A Wing and a Prayer
  Amber Hawkins, Los Angeles, wrote to Lynne Rae Perkins, author of All Alone in the Universe
  Evelyn Hitchcock, Burlingame, wrote to Lemony Snicket, author of The Bad Beginning
  Sharon Huang, Redondo Beach, wrote to Maya Angelou, author of On the Pulse of Morning
  Annie Hwang, Culver City , wrote to Shel Silverstein, author of The Giving Tree
  Mitchell Imbler, Upland, wrote to Christopher Paolini, author of Eragon
  Jacob Jewell, Lake Arrowhead, wrote to J P Trent, author of Freedom's Fire
  Tina Jung, Hacienda Heights, wrote to Antoine de Sant-Exupery, author of The Little Prince
  Agnijita Kumar, Rancho Cucamonga, wrote to Scott Westerfeld, author of Uglies
  Kasandra Limon, Upland, wrote to Cornelia Funke, author of Dragon Rider
  Maddy Lowe, Danville, wrote to Shel Silverstein, author of The Giving Tree
  Elveen K. Mann, Granite Bay, wrote to Jerry Spinelli, author of Milkweed
  Mariah Mendoza, Hersperia, wrote to Dave Pelzer, author of A Child Called 'It'
  Hannah Miller, Granite Bay, wrote to Meg Cabot, author of How to Be Popular
  Sarah Minyo, Benicia, wrote to Libba Bray, author of A Great and Terrible Beauty
  Hank Montgomery, Granite Bay, wrote to Andrew Clements, author of Things Not Seen
  Kelsey A. Moty, Redding, wrote to Markus Zusak, author of I am the Messenger
  Myles Peabon, Upland, wrote to Myers, author of The Greatest Muhammad Ali
  Olivia Penfil, Corona del Mar, wrote to Jacqueline Woodson, author of If You Come Softly
  Clare Aislinn Ryan, Upland, wrote to Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones
  Fred Safford, Hersperia, wrote to Margaret Weis, author of Autumn Twilight
  Brenda Suh, Upland, wrote to Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451
  Rachel Sumption, Redding, wrote to Jane Austen, author of Pride and Prejudice
  Blake Thomsen, Corona del Mar, wrote to Elie Wiesel, author of Night
  Ashley Trinh, Union City, wrote to Robert Frost, author of The Road Not Taken poem
  Christine Tseng, Saratoga, wrote to Edgar Allen Poe, author of Alone
  Marshall Whiteley, San Diego, wrote to Orson Scott Card, author of Ender's Came
  Jonathan Wong, Hacienda Heights, wrote to Ann Brashares, author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
  

Level III – Grades 9-12

California: Level III First Place Winner Nicholas Oeffinger West Bay High School, San Carlos Wrote to Malcom X, author of The Autobiography of Malcolm X Click here to download Nicholas' letter (pdf)

Finalists:
Denise Cisneros, Huntington Park, wrote to Sandra Cisneros, author of House on Mango Street [pdf]
Chandler Corallo, Half Moon Bay, wrote to Toni Morrison, author of The Bluest Eye [pdf]
Robert Garcia, Whittier, wrote to Alex Sanchez, author of Rainbow High [pdf]
Isoken Igbinedion, Palm Desert, wrote to Michael Dorris, author of Yellow Raft in Blue Water [pdf]
Zosha Kandel, Nipomo, wrote to Chaim Potok, author of My Name is Asher Lev [pdf]
Audrey Kim, Hacienda Heights , wrote to Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak [pdf]
Michael Murata, Palos Verdes, wrote to Yoshiko Uchida, author of Journey to Topaz [pdf]
Joseph Taylor, Saugus, wrote to George Orwell, author of 1984 [pdf]
Paul Tran, La Jolla, wrote to Neil Simon, author of Lost in Yonkers [pdf]

Click here to view the Level III Semi-Finalists

• Kathleen Abadie, Half Moon Bay , wrote to Alexander Dumas, author of The Three Musketeers
  Haila Albgal, San Pablo, wrote to Jodi Picoult, author of My Sister's Keeper
  Lisa Anderson, Palos Verdes, wrote to Lucas Parker, author of The Sandbox
  Alex Aquino, Vallejo, wrote to George Orwell, author of 1984
  Kimbridge Joyruthe Balancier, La Jolla, wrote to Mildred D Taylor, author of The Land
  Brandi Bell, Georgetown, wrote to Anette Curtis Klaus, author of The Silver Kiss
  Roanne Bolanos, Vallejo, wrote to Lois Lowry, author of The Giver
  Jacqueline Braslaw, Palm Desert, wrote to Lemony Snicket, author of A Series of Unfortunate Events
  Jackie Brousseau, Westlake, wrote to James Frey, author of A Million Little Pieces
  Stephanie Bruguera, Palos Verdes, wrote to Sanyika Shakur, author of
  Monster: The Autobiography of an LA Gang Member
  Umeamara Butt, Downey, wrote to Geraldine Brooks, author of Year of Wonders
  Isabella Carrillo, Los Angeles, wrote to Roald Dahl, author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  Lauren Cool, Nipomo, wrote to Jostein Gaardner, author of Sophie's World
  Peter Connolly, Palm Desert, wrote to J D Salinger, author of Catcher in the Rye
  Johnna Cresmer, Nipomo, wrote to Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451
  Daisy Cruz, Spring Valley, wrote to Richard Wright, author of Native Son
  Samantha Dabbs, La Habra, wrote to Nicholas Sparks, author of Three Weeks with My Brother
  Miles Flanagan, Danville, wrote to Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner
  Aaron Feurer, North Hollywood, wrote to Margaret Peterson Haddix, author of Among the Hidden
  Brenda Fisher, Palm Desert, wrote to Lois Lowry, author of Gathering Blue
  Amber K. Geil, Santa Rosa, wrote to Patricia Aks, author of You Don't Have to Be a Perfect Girl
  Laura A. Gibson, Upland, wrote to Chloe Rayban, author of My Life Starring Mum
  Benjamin Glatt, Carlsbad, wrote to Elie Wiesel, author of Night
  Jenny Griffin, Gold River, wrote to Frank McCourt, author of Teacher Man
  Rebecca Guzman, Hacienda Heights, wrote to Sarah Weeks, author of So Be It
  Sammy Hamilton, Half Moon Bay , wrote to Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid's Tale
  Kaitlan Hanson, Nipomo, wrote to Frank Peretti, author of The Oath
  Nicole Hardin, Palm Desert, wrote to George Orwell, author of Animal Farm
  Jackie Ho, LaMesa, wrote to William Shakespeare, author of Romeo and Juliet
  Rena Hunt, San Francisco, wrote to Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird
  Karen Huynh, Hacienda Heights, wrote to Lois Lowry, author of The Giver
  Ally Jabuka-Godwin, Palos Verdes, wrote to Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner
  Kevin Jiang, North Hollywood, wrote to Albert Camus, author of The Stranger
  Anna Karibyan, Glendale, wrote to Anonymous, author of Go Ask Alice
  Devin Kelly, Davis, wrote to Shel Silverstein, author of Where the Sidewalk Ends
  Jung Soo Kim, Rancho Palos Verdes, wrote to Farley Mowat, author of Never Cry Wolf
  Yul Kim, Glendale, wrote to Mitch Albom, author of Tuesdays with Morrie
  Larry Lin, San Jose, wrote to Elie Wiesel, author of Night
  Carmen Lugo, West Sacramento , wrote to Don Delillo, author of White Noise
  Byron Lutz, Modesto, wrote to Brian Jacques, author of Redwall
  Katherine Marquez, Whittier, wrote to John Steinbeck, author of Of Mice and Men
  Khristian Martinez, Whittier, wrote to John Steinbeck, author of Of Mice and Men
  Laura Mitchell,. Menlo Park, wrote to John Steinbeck, author of The Grapes of Wrath
  Caitlin Mulvihill, San Jose, wrote to Rob Bell, author of Velvet Elvis
  Kyle Nagasaki, Rancho Palos Verdes, wrote to Jeanne Watasuki Houston, author of Farewell to Mazanar
  Kate Normand, LaMesa, wrote to Jane Austin, author of Pride and Prejudice
  Kelly O'Donnell, La Habra, wrote to Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak
  Dominique Ortega, Danville, wrote to Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak
  Takashi Otake, Palos Verdes, wrote to George Orwell, author of 1984
  Laura Palosaari, Palos Verdes, wrote to Mitch Albom, author of The Five People You Meet in Heaven
  Amy Pham, Hacienda Heights, wrote to Michael Ende, author of The Neverending Story
  Jacquline Popper, Palm Desert, wrote to Mark Hadden, author of
  The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime
  Jake Portolesi, Palm Desert, wrote to C S Lewis, author of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
  Masa Pravdic, Palm Desert, wrote to Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird
  Lili Raygoza, Los Angeles, wrote to H G Wells, author of The Invisible Man
  Sharra Rodney, Rosamond, wrote to May Angelou, author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
  Neda Sanai, Aliso Viegjo, wrote to Anne Frank, author of The Diary of a Young Girl
  Miki Sankary, Santana, wrote to Bryce Courtenay, author of The Power of One
  Jesse Schiffmacher, Downey, wrote to Sylvia Plath, author of Mad Girl's Love Song
  Debs Schrimmer, Irvine, wrote to Mitch Albom, author of The Five People You Meet in Heaven
  Anastasia Sukach, West Sacramento , wrote to Toni Morrison, author of Sula
  Rebekah Sutcliffe, Solvang, wrote to Bodie Thoene, author of Vienna Prelude
  Alexis Tamura, Novato, wrote to Gail Tsukiyama, author of A Samurai's Garden
  Kathryn Thompson, Carlsbad, wrote to Bryce Courtenay, author of The Power of One
  Victoria Tibbetts, Temecula, wrote to Diane Duane, author of So You Want To Be a Wizard
  Andrew Tkach, Davis, wrote to Bryce Courtney, author of The Power of One
  Alysa Trinidad, Santa Rosa, wrote to Sarah Dessen, author of Keeing the Moon
  Brenna Twohy, La Canada, wrote to Sylvia Plath, author of The Bell Jar
  Ava Vakili, Half Moon Bay , wrote to Jane Austin, author of Sense and Sensibility
  Sophia Villagrasa, Saugus, wrote to Lance Armstrong, author of It's Not About the Bike
  Gabriela Villegas, Los Angeles, wrote to Sonia Nazario, author of Enrique's Journey
  Rachel Vinson, North Hollywood, wrote to Martin Luther King Jr., author of I Have a Dream
  Pierre Vu, Los Angeles, wrote to Erich Maria Remarque, author of All Quiet on the Western Front
  Erica Walls, Palm Desert, wrote to Lurlene McDaniel, author of A Rose for Melinda
  Meng Wu, Fremont, wrote to Riverbend, author of Baghdad Burning
  JeanWon Yang, Downey, wrote to Barack Obama, author of The Audacity of Hope
  Grace You, San Jose, wrote to Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451
  Larissa Yu, Hacienda Heights, wrote to John Steinbeck, author of East of Eden
  Jess Zablah, San Francisco, wrote to J M Barrie, author of Peter Pan