2008 Iowa Semifinalists

Level I

• Erin Besser who wrote to Margaret Peterson Haddix about Among the Hidden.  Urbandale, St. Pius X School.
• Parker Brown who wrote to Paulo Coelho about The Alchemist.  Des Moines, Merrill Middle School.
• Zakia Brown who wrote to Sharon G. Flake about The Skin I'm In.  Des Moines, Merrill Middle School.
• Victor Bruene who wrote to Rhoald Dahl about Going Solo.  Des Moines, Merrill Middle School.
• Emma Buchanan who wrote to Gabrielle Zevin about Elsewhere.  Des Moines, Merrill Middle School.
• Georgia Carroll who wrote to Patricia Reilly Giff about Maggie's Door.  Johnston, Wallace Elementary School.
• Maddie Coates who wrote to Ben Mikaelson about Petey.  Manchester, West Delaware Middle School.
• Michael Collier who wrote to J.K. Rowling about Harry Potter and the Deadly Hollows.  Oelwein Middle School.
• Allison Culver who wrote to J.K. Rowling about Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.  Cedar Rapids, Roosevelt Middle School.
• Srinu Dhanwada who wrote to Jenny Nimmo about Charlie Bone and the Hidden King.  Cedar Falls, Price Laboratory School.
• Abby Dockum who wrote to Peg Kehret about Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio.  Johnston/Summit Schools.
• Jacy Embray who wrote to Ann M. Martin about Abby's Book.  Independence, West Elementary School.
• Lily Faber who wrote to Frances Hodgson Burnett about The Secret Garden.  Dubuque, Eisenhower School.
• Olivia Groves who wrote to Patricia Polacco about Thank You, Mr. Falker.  Waukee Elementary School.
• Cece Hawbaker who wrote to J.K. Rowling about Harry Potter and the Deadly Hollows.  Cedar Falls, Price Laboratory School.
• Nolan Heffern who wrote to Mary Casanova about Moose Tracks.  Decorah, North Winneshiek School.
• Lauren Jimmerson who wrote to Lauren Child about Utterly Me, Clarice Bean.  Independence, West Elementary School.
• Malikia Johnson who wrote to Sarah Weeks about So B. It.  Des Moines, Merrill Middle School.
• Anna Kluesner who wrote to J.K. Rowling about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows.  Farley, Drexler Middle School.
• Derek Klus who wrote to Shel Silverstein about The Giving Tree.  Des Moines, Christ the King School.
• Emily Larson who wrote to Sarah Darer Littman about Confessions of a Closet Catholic.  Johnston, Beaver Creek Elementary School.
• Cole Muehring who wrote to J.K. Rowling about the Harry Potter series.  Dubuque, Hoover Elementary School.
• Mary Piegors who wrote to Wayne Batson about The Door Within.  Manchester, West Delaware Middle School.
• Caroline Quinn who wrote to Susan Cooper about The Boggart.  Johnston, Beaver Creek Elementary School.
• Megan Siembieda who wrote to Audrey Penn about The Kissing Hand.  Urbandale, St. Pius X School.
• Jacob Smith who wrote to Cornelia Funke about Dragon Rider.  Johnston, Timber Ridge Elementary School.
• Stanzy Snyder who wrote to Margaret Peterson Haddix about The Shadow Children series.  Johnston/Summit Schools.
• Chase Spahn who wrote to Cathy Hapka about Dreamer.  Dubuque, Eisenhower School.
• Seth Tack who wrote to Walter Dean Myers about Me, Mop and the Moondance Kid.  Johnston, Beaver Creek Elementary School.
• Angel Tejeda who wrote to Ka Seth about Blue Jasmine.  Urbandale, St. Pius X School.
• Connore Winjum who wrote to Carol Gorman about A Midsummers Night Dork.  Johnston, Timber Ridge Elementary School.      

Level II

• Camron Anderman who wrote to Ben Mikaelsen about Touching Spirit Bear.  Cedar Rapids, Prairie Middle School.
• Erika Baker who wrote to Robert Nye about Beowulf, A New Telling.  Storm Lake Middle School.
• Michaela Beckman who wrote to Sharon Creech about Heartbeat. Fort Dodge, Community Christian School.
• Makena Blood who wrote to Robert Frost about “Nothing Gold Can Stay.”  Cedar Rapids, Prairie Middle School.
• Grace Daugherty who wrote to Carol Mattas about Daniel's Story. North Liberty, North Central Junior High School.
• Ryan Emily Delahunt who wrote to Erin Gruwell about The Freedom Writers Diary.Des Moines, St. Augustin Catholic School.
• Quin DeVries who wrote to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. about “I Have a Dream.”  Des Moines, Christ the King School.
• Ally Disterhoft who wrote to Jerry Spinelli about Milkweed.  North Liberty, North Central Junior High School.
• Amber Ellis who wrote to Sharon Creech about Walk Two Moons.  Spencer Middle School.
• Adam Fisher who wrote to Charnan Simon about Milton Hershey, Chocolate King and Town Builder.  Cedar Rapids, Prairie Middle School.
• Liam Garnaut who wrote to Elizabeth Hayden about The Floating Island.  LeClaire, Pleasant Valley Junior High School.
• Rob Harvey who wrote to Barbara Park about Mick Harte Was Here.  Des Moines, St. Augustin Catholic School.
• Scotty Hendricks who wrote to Aldous Huxley about Brave New World.  Decorah, North Winneshiek School.
• Owen Hoke who wrote to J.K. Rowling about Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone.  LeClaire, Pleasant Valley Junior High School.
• Haley Holbrook who wrote to Anne Holm about I Am David.  Corning Junior High School.
• McKenna Kaut who wrote to Anonymous about Go Ask Alice.  Cedar Rapids, Franklin Middle School.
• Maren Kraling who wrote to Jerry Spinelli about Stargirl.  Cresco, Crestwood Junior High School.
• Brooke Krogman who wrote to Avi about Secret School.  Preston Community Schools.
• Diego Lasansky who wrote to Jordan Sonnenblick about Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie.  North Liberty, North Central Junior High School.
• Elliot Lawrence who wrote to Mildred D. Taylor about Let the Circle Be Unbroken.  Des Moines, St. Augustin Catholic School.
• Alice McNamara who wrote to Jeanne Duprau about The People of Sparks.  North Liberty, North Central Junior High School.
• MacKinzie Melton who wrote to Jeanette Walls about The Glass Castle.  Des Moines, St. Augustin Catholic School.
• Henson Pelzer who wrote to  Mark Haddon about The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time.  Cedar Rapids, Franklin Middle School.
• Chayton Quail who wrote to Jean DuPuau about City of Ember.  Spencer Middle School.
• Kyle Reimers who wrote to J.K. Rowling about the Harry Potter series.  Storm Lake Public Library.
• Michaela Reinhart who wrote to Lurlene McDaniel about Six Months To Live.  Cresco, Crestwood Junior High School.
• Chrissy Rewerts who wrote to Wendy Mass about A Mango-Shaped Space.  Nevada Middle School.
• Tricia Shi who wrote to R.A. Salvatore about The Two Swords. Johnston Johnston Community School District,  Indian Hills Junior High School.
• Colyn Snyder who wrote to Gary Mack about Mind Gym.  Cedar Rapids, Prairie Middle School.
• Kolt Stulz who wrote to Don Wulffson about Soldier X.  Cedar Rapids, Prairie Middle School.
• Blake Tebbe who wrote to Matt Christopher about Baseball Turnaround.  Preston Community Schools.
• Mason Weibel who wrote to Carl Hiaasen about Hoot.  North Liberty, North Central Junior High School.

Level III

• Caitlin Bruggeman wrote to Dr. Seuss about The Lorax.  Cedar Rapids, Washington High School.
  
• Megan Curtis wrote to Stephen Chbosky about The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Johnston 8/9 Middle School.
  
• MaryKathryn Dalton wrote to Joyce Maynard about The Usual Rules.  Johnston 8/9 Middle School.
  
• Annalisa Donahey wrote to Peg Kehret about Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio.  Marshalltown High School.
  
• Audrey Erger wrote to Roald Dahl about The BFG.  Cedar Rapids, Washington High School.
  
• Nate Frick wrote to Wilson Rawls about Where the Red Fern Grows.  Manchester, West Delaware High School.
  
• Joel Geier wrote to Jack G. Pippenger about The Young Rebel. Preston Community Schools.
  
• Cody Ihnen wrote to Philip Pullman about The Golden Compass. Atlantic High School.
  
• Morgan Kahly wrote to Melody Carlson about Pitch Black: Color Me Lost.  Manchester, West Delaware High School.
  
• Katie Lashier wrote to Jodi Picoult about The Tenth Circle.  Johnston 8/9 Middle School.
  
• Elissa Lowe wrote to Ellen Hopkins about Impulse.  Johnston 8/9 Middle School.
  
• Ashland Meyer wrote to Anne Rivers Siddons about Sweetwater Creek.  Oelwein High School.
  
• Lexie Oman wrote to Sue Monk Kidd about The Secret Life of Bees.  West Des Moines, Valley High School.
  
• Cassi Ross wrote to Sarah Dessen about Just Listen. Manchester, West Delaware High School.
  
• Jocelyn Schneider wrote to Judy Blume about Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.  Johnston 8/9 Middle School.
  
• Kate Siebels wrote to Philip Roth about Goodbye, Columbus. Cedar Rapids, Washington High School.
  
• Cody Simons wrote to Gary Paulen about Harris and Me.  Manchester, West Delaware High School.
  
• Hilary Sorensen wrote to Carl Deuker about Runner. Atlantic High School.
  
• Shelby Steinbach wrote to Weezie Kerr Mackie about Throwing Like a Girl.  Preston Community Schools.
• Rachel Thune wrote to J.D. Salinger about The Catcher In the Rye.  Des Moines Public Schools, Central Academy.