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A A Marblehead Village School student was recognized at the Massachusetts State House after earning second place in a statewide writing competition that encourages young readers to reflect on the impact books have had on their lives.
Peggy Mulombe, a 6th grader at Marblehead Village School, received the honor through the 2026 Letters About Literature program, a Massachusetts Center for the Book initiative that invites students in grades 4 through 12 to write personal letters to authors about works that have influenced them.
Mulombe earned second place for her letter to author Laura Imai Messina about the novel “The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World.” She was honored during an awards ceremony held May 27 at the State House, where students from across Massachusetts gathered with their families, teachers and community supporters.
According to the Massachusetts Center for the Book, the annual program encourages students to engage deeply with literature by connecting stories to their own experiences. This year’s submissions explored themes including self-acceptance, advocacy, grief, loneliness and bullying. More than 100 students, family members, legislators, educators and members of the library community attended the ceremony.
Massachusetts Center for the Book Executive Director Courtney Andree praised participants for the quality of their work. Andree commended the student honorees for the “rich, insightful, and meaningful writing that [they] submitted.”
Karolina Zapal, program manager for the organization, said the letters demonstrated the power of honest storytelling.
“Reading these students’ letters reminds me that when people write honestly about what truly matters to them, their words have the power to move others,” Zapal said.
Students attending the ceremony also heard from middle-grade author Taylor Tyng, who shared his experiences as a reader and writer and encouraged students to embrace their own creative journeys.
The Massachusetts Center for the Book is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting reading, literacy and access to books and libraries throughout the Commonwealth.
More than 100 students, family members, educators, librarians and lawmakers gathered at the Massachusetts State House on May 27 as the Massachusetts Center for the Book recognized winners of its 2026 Letters About Literature competition, a statewide writing program that encourages students to reflect on the books that have shaped their lives.
The annual initiative invites students in grades 4 through 12 to read a book of their choice and write a personal letter to its author, describing how the work influenced them. According to the Massachusetts Center for the Book, this year’s submissions explored topics ranging from self-acceptance and advocacy to grief, loneliness and bullying.
Massachusetts Center for the Book Executive Director Courtney Andree praised the students for their achievements during the ceremony, highlighting the quality of the writing submitted by participants.
Andree commended the honorees for the “rich, insightful, and meaningful writing that [they] submitted.”
Karolina Zapal, program manager at the Massachusetts Center for the Book, said the letters demonstrated the impact personal storytelling can have on readers.“Reading these students’ letters reminds me that when people write honestly about what truly matters to them, their words have the power to move others,” Zapal said.
State Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa of Northampton delivered the legislative welcome and encouraged students to continue developing their voices. Drawing on the example of Massachusetts author Henry David Thoreau, she spoke about the importance of thoughtful engagement with the world.
“Thoreau challenges us to slow down, attune ourselves to the world that surrounds us, and take time to think deeply and live deliberately,” Sabadosa said. She also thanked students “for having the courage to forge [their] own path[s], and for being engaged readers.”
Award recipients also heard from middle-grade author Taylor Tyng, who discussed his path to becoming a writer and reflected on growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia. Tyng encouraged students to embrace their own experiences as readers and writers.
The competition was judged by Somerville Public Library reference librarian Cathy Messier, writer and educator Roxanne Nieman and Tyng. Screeners from Simmons University School of Library and Information Sciences, the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Smith College also assisted in the selection process.
