Dear younger readers,
Thanks to the generosity of my aunt June, the Canterbury Book Store is again hosting an essay contest, and accepting submissions from readers in the age range of 8 to 17 years old; the essay should be on the topic “What specific book(s) should the Canterbury carry in its store?” That is to say, you should try and make the case for why we should have one of your favorite books on our store’s shelves'; anything from Eric Carle’s The Hungry Hungry Caterpillar to Joyce’s Ulysses. If you prefer, you could also argue for us carrying a series of books, or a specific author’s entire body of work.
The winner of the essay contest will win $50 in cash and a $50 gift certificate to the Canterbury Book Store. The essays will be jointly judged by Jesse Traub and Rebecca Bender, so feel free to try and tailor your argument to our sensibilities. The prize money was donated by June McCall, a schoolteacher, educator, and promoter of reading everywhere! (And also the aunt of Jesse!)
There are no strict requirements as to format and length of the essay, beyond that it should have your name and contact information (phone number/email) somewhere on it. The essay should be long enough to contain a fully-developed argument, and no longer; if you would find more specific (but arbitrary!) guidance helpful, let’s say roughly 300 words long. You are welcome to be more conversational in tone; do not feel obligated to maintain a strictly formal style.
The submission deadline is April 30, 2024. Essays can be dropped off in person at the Canterbury Book Store, mailed to us, or contact us via our Contact Us Page and we can get you set up with a digital submission.
Good luck!
Rebecca Bender and Jesse Traub
Canterbury Book Store