Thank you to everyone who participated in our SuiteReads contest during National Literacy Month. To help spread the word of our partnership with the Books for Kids Organization to build libraries in low-income neighborhoods, we asked you to talk about your favorite childhood books. In return, we promised to give away two free nights at Homewood Suites.

And now we have a winner!

Jenni Webb

Congratulations to Jenni Webb! Jenni actually talked a good deal about why “A Tree Grows In Brooklyn” was her favorite book. In her own words:

I still remember the day I started reading “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” by Betty Smith. I was ten and the rain was pouring down relentlessly outside my bedroom window. I was immediately immersed in the world of Francie Nolan, the protagonist, a child who lived a life very dissimilar, yet somehow exactly like my own. Even though she lived in early 20th century NYC and I grew up in rural Ohio in the 1980’s, the fictional Francie was my soul mate. For the next week, I raced home after school every day to devour more of my favorite book. I cried, I smiled, I experienced so many emotions with Francie! That book inspired a lifelong love of words in me, and I re-read it many times over the years. When I wrote my own memoirs for fun last year, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was my touchstone. I am sure that reading often as a child fine-tuned my empathetic nature, improved my analytical skills, and simply made my life…better.

Thank you once again to everyone who participated – keep on reading! Also, you can follow Books For Kids Organization on Twitter.