Sourcebooks Offers Kids' Poetry Contest

To celebrate Poetry Month and to make an important art form more accessible to children, Sourcebooks is sponsoring a poetry-reading contest at stores with Book Sense. The contest is open to children ages 4 to 11 who are filmed reading poems from Sourcebooks' Poetry Speaks to Children, edited by Elise Paschen and others, at Book Sense bookstores. The winning reader will receive a $50 Book Sense gift certificate, and the bookstore will receive a $500 Sourcebooks credit. The rules, a letter to booksellers, and a release form were included in the March Red Box mailing, and a promotional poster will be in the April Book Sense Red Box.

The winner, to be selected by Sourcebooks, will be notified by Friday, June 16. Only performances by children reading or reciting poems in Poetry Speaks to Children will be considered for the prize. Video formats accepted are VHS, CD, or DVD, and entries must be received by Friday, May 12.

In addition to the video, stores must provide store contact information and they must collect and retain the names and contact information for their customer participants. Entries should be sent to Sourcebooks, Inc.; Attn: Poetry Contest; 1935 Brookdale Rd., Suite 139; Naperville, IL 60563.

Questions about Sourcebooks Children's Poetry Reading Contest should be addressed to Sourcebooks' Jennifer Downey at (800) 432-7444, ext. 251 or Jennifer.Downey@sourcebooks.com.