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Half Price Books has been supporting literacy since its founding in 1972. Fourteen years ago, we sponsored our first Bedtime Storybook Contest, open to writers of all ages. Through the years we have received entries from some of the most talented writers in the country. We would like to thank all the authors who entered the 13th annual Half Price Books Bedtime Storybook Contest. We are pleased to announce the winning authors.

		Grand Prize Winner *Ask Yourself a Question* by Susie Sawyer Susie Sawyer grew up in northern Wisconsin, where she currently lives with her husband and three children. They inspire her constantly and are still young enough to want to gather for story time as often as possible. Susie admits that she is often the one begging to read "just one more." Fiction and poetry are Susie's main focus because she feels they allow her the most creative freedom. In November, 2006, one of her poems was selected as a winner in the Art of Storytelling Contest presented by the Delaware Art Museum. She is an active member of several writing organizations including SCBWI, and belongs to two critique groups, one of which she co-moderates. When she is not writing, Susie enjoys visiting local elementary schools to read her original works. She strives to create stories that touch children, raise their awareness, or simply make them gasp or giggle. Susie says, "My hope is that my stories will be remembered and treasured by children and their families for years to come."

		Second Place Winner *Sleepy Head* by Jeanie Stewart I love children. I love writing. So what could be better than writing for children? I feel that when I open a child's heart to reading, whether I'm wearing my librarian hat, my writer hat, my teacher hat or my mom hat, I have given them a gift that will last a lifetime.

		Third Place Winner *Isabelle Winkle Touches the Moon* by Katie Beckman I was six or seven years old when I wrote and illustrated my first book. I'd even included an "Author's Note" page and a "Dedicated To" page, and the spine was held together by a few staples. I think I'd depleted my mom's Scotch tape supply to cover the whole thing, to "laminate" it for permanence. Eighteen years later, I'm still compelled to write and illustrate picture books; still have too many stories swirling around in my mind to get down on the page. Currently, I've got another spirited character taking shape who travels to different worlds in my next picture book, "Hat Stand in the Attic." When I'm not absorbed in my writing and reading, I love to flip through art magazines on my porch, play a few chords on my guitar, and cook up new recipes.

		Honorable Mention *Ladybug* by Apryl Harris I love to read! We always had books and encyclopedias at home while my siblings and I were growing up. I feel it is so important to get our kids excited about reading. My goal is to complete my undergraduate degree and pursue a teacher certification so that I can be in a position to ignite a young child's curiosity into the world of books.

		Honorable Mention *Adventures of a Housecat* by Jessica Van Roekel I am currently 22-years-old. I recently moved to Corpus Christi from Canyon Lake, which is about forty minutes from San Antonio. I lived in Canyon Lake for about eleven years of my young life and thought moving away would give me a chance to learn more about myself. I really love reading and try to do so as often as I can. I also like to write stories or poems. I don't have a huge collection of recent work, but I do have a lot that I wrote as a child. I also draw and paint in the small amount of spare time that I have. It has been said that I have talent, but mostly I do it because I enjoy it, though it is nice to hear. I am going to school to become an English teacher, even though my family pushes me towards the arts. I just want to find a way to make reading and writing exciting again for students. My hope is to inspire children to want to learn.

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