SINA has partnered again with Hartford Public Library Park Street Branch @the Lyric for the 2024 REACH Book Author Contest. It’s a great opportunity for students in grades K-5 to write and illustrate their own story with the theme of Disability Awareness. Disability Awareness is the practice of educating people, acknowledging, and accepting individuals’ experiences as they relate to disability. Not all disabilities are the same, and disability awareness recognizes this; celebrating difference and identifying the beauty within our uniqueness.
Selected books will be displayed at Hartford Public Library Park Library @ the Lyric local author’s shelf. Winning entries will receive a professionally printed copy of their book and be acknowledged at an awards ceremony in May.
2024 REACH Book Author Contest Winners
This year we received a total of 54 book submissions with 94 students participating in this year’s contest. The following 13 books have been selected as this year’s winners. Thank you to all who submitted entries!
- Alex – Written and Illustrated by Viyankhaa Satish Kumar
- All About Blindness – Written and Illustrated by Mercy Hseezan
- A Tale of Two Friends – Written by Jennyeliz Fontanez and Wilson Escalante, and Illustrated by Saniyah Feliciano and Daily Velasquez.
- Charlie and the Spelling Bee – Written and Illustrated by Myah Cruz
- Charlie’s Broken Leg – Written by Victor Rojas and Johnathan Velez, and Illustrated by Randy Gonzalez and Adrian Jimenez.
- Delilah has Dyslexia – Written by Aaliyah Lawrence and Illustrated by Jomyra Valentin.
- Don’t Deny It, Defy It! – Written by Kaiden Baptiste, and Illustrated by Kaiden Baptiste and Marley Williams.
- Fly Bird Fly? – Written and Illustrated by Olivia Leroux.
- Millie and Roofus – Written and Illustrated by Eliana Rios, Olivia Starr, and Ava Marques.
- My Voice – Written by Nathaniel Reid, and Illustrated by Nathaniel Reid, Danino Sgro, Jayce Thelwell, Micah Vernon, Jayvion Butler, and Zackary Perez.
- Rainbow Smile – Written and Illustrated by Anaya Gupta.
- Sparkle Sparkles – Written and Illustrated by Dhyanna Satish Kumar.
- The Cat with Three Legs – Written and Illustrated by Ashly Tema and Joniel Navarro.