(DURHAM, April 25, 2006) - Magical pink cowgirl boots, super babies, and finding a new home in America were among the themes of winning stories in this year’s Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. Over 500 stories were submitted to New Hampshire Public Television by children in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont-50 more than were submitted last year. A panel of New Hampshire teachers, librarians, writers, and illustrators selected first, second, and third place stories at each grade level of the contest.Now in its 12th year, the contest, like the Emmy Award-winning Reading Rainbow television series, encourages children’s love for reading, writing, and illustration. Reading Rainbow, hosted by LeVar Burton, airs on NHPTV weekdays @ 2 p.m. Children ages four through eight, researchers have found, are most likely to adopt positive reading habits, skills and attitudes.The first, second and third place contest winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony at the NHPTV Broadcast Center in Durham Saturday, June 17, 2005 from 10 a.m. - noon. Children’s book author David Elliott of Warner, New Hampshire, will speak to the contest winners as a fellow writer, and will offer encouragement for their creative endeavors. Elliott’s books, which feature memorable characters like Evangeline Mudd and Hazel Nutt, are filled with humor and clever wordplay.“Parents and teachers often tell us how much children enjoy writing and illustrating
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