Two posts in one day is a first for me! This one is for Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday about a favorite book that I recently revisited. Please check it out and head over to Susanna’s blog for more suggestions.

Title: The Love Letter

Author: Anika Aldamuy Denise

Illustrator: Lucy Ruth Cummins

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2019

Audience: Ages 4-8

Themes: kindness, caring

Opening lines: Hedgehog was late.
He did not like being late.
It further frazzled his already prickly mood.
He’d been grumbling about it to the ground when…

Synopsis: Hedgehog, Bunny, and Squirrel are best friends. One day Hedgehog finds a love letter. Assuming it was meant for him, he wonders which of his friends sent it. The letter gets passed on to Bunny and Squirrel who think one of the others sent it. It affects their mood and behavior (for the better), but soon they begin to argue about whose letter it really is. It is up the real author of the letter to help them realize their true feelings for each other.

Why I Like This Book: This book about kindness and caring is filled to the brim with heart. From the very beginning we care about these characters and the way they show their feelings for each other. The simple illustrations are perfect additions that add even more heart. It is a wonderful way to help young children understand just how powerful love is.

Resources: Activity sheets for writing and drawing are available on Anika Denise’s website www.anikadenise.com.

For a list of wonderful picture books, please visit Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Books.