Betsy Moffett, 2016 Level 1, Honorable Mention

“Just be yourself.”

Dear Ms. Carter,

I am writing to tell you that If think you did an amazing job on the Gallagher Girls series. The second book is one of my favorite books of all time.

Unlike most people who compare themselves to Cammie, I think I’m more like Lia. I like to do math and read and do well in school. But when it comes to activities that require coordination and not being clumsy, lid give myself an F. One time I tried to shoot a basket, but instead of landing in the hoop, the ball bounced off the rim and hit me in the head. As long as that sport doesn’t have to do with a ball, I’m okay at it.

One of the things I like about Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy is that it shows that girls can do anything boys can do, sometimes even better than boys. This book changed my view of the world because even if someone is in high school, even girls, they can still do amazing things. I live in Kenai, Alaska, right next to a beach. At dip netting season, all the fishermen would leave the dead fish guts lying around on the beach. One year a group of high school students got volunteers to help clean up the beaches. The year after that the city decided that it was crazy that high school students were doing that so they made the people staying on the beach pay more so they could afford to pay “people to clean it up. One day I want to do something like that, maybe not that big, but something that will make a difference.

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy also made me look differently at people because what if there really were spies all around me? I mean, what if my neighbor was a spy, or my teacher? It would be weird to think that my geometry teacher was working undercover for the government.

Thank you for writing a book where for once the girl is the hero. I like fairy tale books, but it gets really annoying when the girl is always the helpless one that needs to be saved, and the boy is the smart and tough one. At least in Gallagher Girls the girls are awesome and are the ones doing the saving.

Sincerely,

Betsy Moffett