It started in Japan, but the poetry style called haiku now has adherents worldwide — and right here in the Valley.

Witness the contributions to the form in local King County Libraries’ Haiku Contest.

Sponsored by the Friends organizations of the Fall City, North Bend and Snoqualmie libraries, the contest challenged children and adults to write haikus about a book of their choice.

In English, haiku poems are three lines of five, seven and five syllables, respectively (Japanese syllables are different, and Japanese haikus average about 12 English syllables, rather than 17).

Winners of the contest included:

North Bend Library

Kaitlyn Glenn, elementary student

Book: Little Red Riding Hood

What a dumb old kid

Thought a wolf was her grandma

Hold on — wolves can’t talk!

Alex Rasmussen, middle school student

Book: +Anima

A fallen angel

His black wings will light the way

Through the darkened path

Jack Rasmussen, high school student

Book: Ishmael

Silverback teacher

Call me Ishmael, my friend.

We shall save our world

Glyn Bordelon, adult

Book: Olive Kitteridge

The wrinkled face greets

the lingering daylight years.

“I am here. Waiting.”

Snoqualmie Library

Kaylee Butler, elementary school student

Book: The Lightning Thief

Kicked out of boarding

School, what a boy to do, meet

A Greek god. Camp, crazy!

Krista Cassidy, middle school student

Book: Full Metal Alchemist

Alchemy shall reign

And so, my brother, there is

Nothing I won’t give

Fall City Library

Matthew Hanusiak, elementary school student

Book: Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Funny diary

Greg, a wimpy slugabed

Hilarious kid

Victoria Shim, middle school student

Book: Ender’s Game

A war with buggers

Ender the young prodigy

The hero of Earth

Sharon Bilbro, adult

Book: Her Mother’s Hope

Title: “Generational Braid”

Past and future breathe

now. Look back and dream forward,

but life is at hand