1. How To Enter
To enter, each participant and his/her parent or guardian must completely fill out, sign and submit the entry form (the "Entry Form") available through participating PBS stations during the Contest Period or via the open qualifying competition. The information requested marked "optional" on the Entry Form may be completed at participant's discretion. Limit one entry per participant. Entry Form must accompany the emtry. In the event of multiple entries, the first entry will be accepted and all other entries will be ignored.

Sponsors reserve the right to verify that each prize recipient is qualified and entitled to receive his/her prize. Submission of an Entry Form constitutes permission (except where prohibited by law) for Sponsors to use the participants' name, likeness, biographical information, information and materials contained in the Entry Form, photographs and any statements or remarks made about the Contest for advertising and promotional purpose without additional compensation.

2. Contest
The Contest is open to students in Kindergarten, First, Second and Third grade.

• Each Kindergarten and First grade participant must submit an original, single authored story (no co-authored stories) with a minimum of 50 words and a maximum of 200 words.
• Each Second and Third grade participant must submit an original, single authored story (no co-authored stories) with a minimum of 100 words and a maximum of 350 words.
• For purposes of counting words, include such words as "a", "an", and "the", but do not include words on non-story pages such as the title page or words that enhance illustrations.
• Stories may be fact or fiction, prose or poetry.
• Text must be printed or written legibly or typed.
• Participants who cannot write may dictate their story to an adult, but the story must be the original work of the child. Invented spelling will be accepted.
• Stories must include at least five original, clear and colorful illustrations.
• Original photographs, collages and 3-D art are acceptable.
• Text and illustrations (or a combination of both) must appear on one side of each piece of paper with page numbers on the back side of each piece of paper.
• Any failure to adhere to these Contest rules may result in disqualification.

The Contest includes both local qualifying competitions and a national competition. Local competitions will be sponsored and administered by participating PBS stations. Each participating PBS station will select a first place Kindergarten, First, Second and Third grade winner from the local competition entries. These first place local competition winners will have his/her entry submitted to the Sponsors for inclusion in the national competition. Check for participating PBS stations and their competition dates online at pbskids.org/readingrainbow or contact your local PBS station. All winning local entries must be submitted by PBS stations to Sponsors for national judging no later than April 24, 2009.  (The deadline for participants in the Blue Ridge PBS competition is March 20, 2009.)

If your PBS station is not holding a local competition, you may still participate by entering the open qualifying competition -- go to pbskids.org/readingrainbow for an Entry Form. All submissions for the open qualifying competition must be received no later than March 27, 2009.

3. Judging
Entries will be judged on originality, creative expression, storytelling and integration of text and illustrations. Local competitions will be judged by a panel of judges selected by each participating PBS station. The open qualifying competition and the national competition will be judged by panels of judges selected by the Sponsors. Judging for the national competition will occur during May and June, 2009. All decisions of the judges in every round are final and not subject to appeal or review.

4. Prizes
Prizes for the national competition shall be awarded for each grade level as follows:

• First Place Winner in each grade level shall receive a Flat Panel TV with DVD Player
• Second Place Winner in each grade level shall receive a Digital Camera
• Third Place Winner in each grade level shall receive an MP3 Player.
• Winners in all of the above categories will also win 3 sets of 5 Reading Rainbow DVDs and feature books - one set each for their school, community library and home.

Prize recipients should allow 4 to 6 weeks from notification for delivery. Prizes are non-transferable. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute any prize for a prize of equal or greater value. Prizes for the local qualifying competitions shall be determined and awarded by participating local PBS stations.

5. Eligibility
The Contest is open to students in Kindergarten, First, Second and Third grades. Employees of Sponsors, any participating PBS station or their affiliates, manufacturers, sales reps, subsidiaries or parent companies, advertising/sales promotion agencies, judges and the immediate families of each are not eligible. Void where prohibited. Entry materials become the property of Sponsors and may not be acknowledged or returned. Sponsors are not responsible for lost, late, damaged, misdirected or illegible Entry Forms or unsuccessful attempts to notify the prize recipients. All materials submitted as part of the Entry Form must be the participant's own original work. The Entry Form may not contain any unauthorized use of names, likeness or biographical information of any third parties.

6. Conditions
All Federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Sponsors are not responsible for any expenses incurred in connection with participation in the Contest. By submitting an Entry Form, each participant (and parent or guardian) agree to be bound by these Contest rules, and the decisions of Sponsors are final. Each participant (and parent or guardian) agrees to release and hold Sponsors their employees, officers, directors, shareholders, agents, representatives and its subsidiaries, parent companies or other affiliated companies harmless from any and all damages, losses, claims and/or liabilities arising out of participation in the Contest or resulting from acceptance or claiming of any prize hereunder. Sponsors reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to terminate, suspend or otherwise cancel the Contest at any time. Income and other taxes are the responsibility of the prize recipient.

7. Use Of Information
Upon submission, each entry and the Entry Form become the sole property of the Sponsors. By submitting an entry and Entry Form, each participant (and parent or guardian) assigns all right, title, and interest in and to the entry and Entry Form to the Sponsors and warrants that the participant (and parent or guardian) have the authority to assign such right, title, and interest. In the event that any applicable law requires certain formalities to be fulfilled to effectuate such grant of rights, each participant (and parent or guardian) agrees to cooperate with the Sponsors to achieve fulfillment of such formalities at Sponsors' request.

8. Winners
After August 1, 2009 visit pbskids.org/readingrainbow for the Reading Rainbow 15th Annual Young Writers & Illustrators Contest winners.