First Night Essay ContestOn the Newtown Library sign as painted by Edward Hicks, there is a Latin motto. One translation is "Books are useful to the young and old.”
What does this motto mean to you and how can you apply this motto to your experience?
We adapted this translation into the following essay question:"Why are books important throughout your life?"
4th Grade Winners:
Nicole Rafalovsky, First Place
Ethan Lorence, Second Place
3rd Grade Winners:
Marie Larounis, First Place
Magdalena Zak, Second PlaceSee Winning Essays below!
Essay Question: Why are books important throughout your life?In my opinion, which is coming from my heart, books are like a buddy, standing there always by your side throughout your entire life. As you are a toddler, you need them to learn the alphabet and numbers. As you continue to be a child, you need entertainment, so why not grab a book and curl up on the couch? In teenage years, you need to learn outstanding vocabulary to grow in your mind. As always, it makes you a wonderful writer. Continuing to be an adult, you need lots and lots of morals to become a better person. A book is for young and old. All you need is a book to survive in life.
That is what life is about – reading. Reading is a treasure all life long.Written by: Nicole Rafalovsky (First Place, 4th Grade)
Grade: 4
Teacher: Mrs. McElhaugh
Books are important to me because certain people tell me that I’ll get a better job and I will have a better life if I read. When I was little, reading was very important to me because it taught me many skills that would be hard to learn without reading, such as everyday things like tying my shoes and brushing my teeth. The Magic Tree House series really hooked me. I have collected all of them! As I got older, and older, I read bigger and bigger novels, some with over one-thousand pages. Now I read all the time, especially for quiet entertainment. I love the Diary of a Whimpy Kid series because it is literally laugh-out-loud funny! When I enter middle school, high school, college, and adult hood, I will read much, much larger books. There are thousands of books to choose from, like mystery, adventure, history, science-fiction, non-fiction, and fiction. Books can take you anywhere, space, back in time, the future, the jungle, the desert, or anywhere you want. They’re truly amazing! And remember, never, ever judge a book by its cover!
Written by: Ethan Lorence (Second Place, 4th Grade)
Teacher: Mrs. Franklin
Books are useful to young and old. Books are useful because you learn from them. They make you interested in the book but it also helps you learn from them. Every book has something to learn from, whether it’s fantasy, fiction, or reality. Books are also good because they might take you to a whole new place. A place where you can escape from your everyday life. Maybe even another planet! Maybe dinosaur time or cave men! Books also help you do things like cooking. Cookbooks help you do any kind of cooking you like, maybe cooking from another state or country!
Books are good because there are books anywhere. If you go to the library there are thousands of books. You can’t carry a computer or television wherever you go. A book is a resource. A book doesn’t say your right or wrong, it tells you information so you can learn and share your facts with other people. Books are good for young kids because they have different genres. For younger kids, I would pick a fantasy book so they can imagine a new world of their own. An older person is more likely to read a big chapter book that adults read. There are books of all kinds! Each one is fantastic!
Written by: Marie Larounis (First Place, 3rd Grade)
Teacher: Mrs. Walsh
Books are fun for everyone! First, books are fun for young people because some books are like a vacation; they take you to different places. Another reason why books are fun for young people is because they help them when they need to know information. Also, they are fun for young people because in a fairy tale, children want to be one of the characters in the book.
Now here are some reasons why older people like books. One reason is that if they forgot a cooking recipe they can look in a cookbook to find it out. Another reason books are fun for older people is when they need to find out information about people from a long time ago, they can look in a biography book. My last reason why books are fun for older people is when it is cold outside older people can read a good book for entertainment. Those were some reasons why books are fun for everyone!
Written by: Magdalena Zak (Second Place, 3rd Grade)
Teacher: Mrs. McMacken