Josiah Kasperek, 8, of Owego, won First Place for the 3rd Grade Category in the Local Reading Rainbow Young Illustrator's Contest, a nationwide contest open to students in Grades K through Third.  

Josiah, who is homeschooled, won for his book called "Northeast Old Car" about a 1966 Sport Fury which is  abandoned and left broken in an old garage in Mississippi. The car is bought and restored by a 16-year-old named Gunther, who names the car DJ. The car talks to Gunther and asks him to take him Northeast to visit his dad, a 1956 Belvedere Sedan. DJ's  Dad is happy to see his son, and he thanks Gunther for helping to restore his son and bring him back to see him.

Josiah dedicated his book to his friend Amanda Bricks who recovered from injuries sustained in a car accident in 2007.

"Northeast Old Car" can be read at the Coburn Library in Owego. Josiah enjoys writing and drawing and   someday hopes to write more stories for children

The contest was sponsored locally by WSKG-TV, and there were winners in each category. The winning books will be judged nationally against other regional winners.