For the past four years, MetroFamily Magazine and award-winning artist/illustrator Danny Gordon have teamed up to promote a statewide contest designed to combine the excitement of reading a good book and the creativity of illustrative art. Students ages 7-12 are encouraged to submit art work showing how reading takes them on fun adventures. Wonderful prizes are given to Best of Show, 1st-3rd place winners in two age categories, and numerous Honorable Mention winners and all are honored in an awards ceremony held in mid-May at the MetroLibrary’s Ronald Norick Downtown location.

Prizes include savings bonds, provided by Coppermark Bank, for all seven place winners as follows:

Best of Show (chosen from all entries): $200 savings bond, plus an art set donated by Porch School and Art Supply.

1st Place Winner (one from each age category): $100 savings bond

2nd Place Winner (one from each age category): $75 savings bond

3rd Place Winner (one from each age category): $50 savings bond

Place winners and several honorable mention winners will also receive keepsake certificates, books from Best of Books and Full Circle Book Store, and a special gift from Danny Gordon.

The entire family is invited to attend a prestigious awards ceremony, complete with powerpoint presentation, narrative about each art work, refreshments, and lots of uplifting remarks for the students, families, teachers and administrators in attendance. The winning art works are featured in the June issue of MetroFamily Magazine, on this website and dannygordon.com.

The Reading Takes You on Fun Adventures Art Contest is co-sponsored by the Metropolitan Library System.

Each entry must have an entry form attached. Find all rules and the entry form below as a pdf (Acrobat) document. Please contact MetroFamily Magazine by email or phone (405.340.1404) with questions.

Each year, MetroFamily and artist Danny Gordon, along with the sponsorship of the Metropolitan Library System, offer a unique art contest called Reading Takes You on Fun Adventures. Meet this year's talented winners! Best of Show and place winners in both categories received savings bonds provided by Coppermark Bank while all winners received art supplies and books from Best of Books, Full Circle Bookstore, Porch School and Art Supply, and Triangle A&E. Our sincere appreciation to our sponsors, prize sponsors, participants, and their teachers and parents.

Entries shown, top to bottom: Best of Show; 1st place, 10-12; 1st place, 7-9 

BEST OF SHOW:
Jessica Shenoi (age 12) School of St. Mary, Tulsa

1st PLACE (10-12):
Ansley B. Elliot (age 11) Cross Timbers, Tecumseh

2nd PLACE (10-12):
Alison Liu (age 12) Cheyenne MS, Edmond

3rd PLACE (10-12):
Jalaun Parker (age 12) Hefner MS, OKC

HM (10-12):
Abigail A. Lorenzo (age 10) Parmelee ES, OKC

HM (10-12):
Madison Willman (age 10) Harmony ES, Cushing

HM (10-12):
Casandra G. Perez (age 11) Madison ES, OKC

HM (10-12):
Gabriel Dorsey (age 11) St. Eugene, OKC

HM (10-12):
Jordan McKee (age 10) Crossings Christian, OKC

HM (10-12):
Johnny Williams (age 11) Piedmont ES, Piedmont

HM (10-12):
Holden S. Hill (age 10) Home Education @ Hill Academy

1st Place (7-9):
Nissi Tai (age 8) Northern Hills ES, Edmond

2nd Place (7-9):
Patricia Liu (age 8) Centennial, Edmond (405-340-2275)

3rd Place (7-9):
Emily Conrad (age 9) Cashion ES, Cashion

HM (7-9):
Jarod Murphey (age 9) Murphey Home Education, Guthrie

HM (7-9):
Kendall Ross (age 8) Deer Creek ES, Edmond

HM (7-9):
Madelynn Langley (age 7) Clegern ES, Edmond