RIF Offers 'I Love My Pet' Writing Contest

Non-profit children's literacy organization Reading is Fundamental, Inc. (RIF) is sponsoring a writing contest for children to express how much they love their pet, offering the top winner a Because of Winn-Dixie prize pack worth more than $100.

RIF uses children's artwork to promote the"I Love My Pet" contest

RIF's "I Love My Pet" writing contest invites children between five and 15 to write an essay or poem up to 1,000 words about their favorite pet—either in real life or from a book. Children who don't have a pet can still enter by writing about an animal they admire from a book.

Participants must send their poems and essays via e-mail to kids@rif.org. Entries will be judged by RIF staff based on creativity, writing style, grammar and spelling.

One grand-prize winner will receive an autographed Because of Winn-Dixie movie poster; a $100 Borders gift card and a $25 Fandango.com gift card. In addition, the grand-prize winner will receive a separate Because of Winn-Dixie prize package, which contains the movie edition book, a movie scrapbook, a Winn-Dixie plush toy, the movie soundtrack, a movie poster, writing journal and a RIF mousepad. Ten honorable mention winners will each receive the Because of Winn-Dixie prize package.

RIF will publish all winning essays on the Reading Planet, RIF.org/readingplanet. The contest runs through March 31. Winners will be selected on April 15. Internet materials support.

Because of Winn-Dixie is a story about Opal, a lonely, motherless girl who befriends a scraggly dog she names Winn-Dixie. As the pair make unusual friends in Opal's Florida town, Opal leans important lessons about friendship and forgiveness. The film opens in theaters nationwide on Feb. 18.

RIF is partnering with Walden Media, Candlewick Press, Nettwerk America and 20th Century Fox and is handling the contest in-house.

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