Dear Acorn (Love, Oak): Letter Poems to Friends

In 16 wonderfully imaginative letter poems, Newbery Honoree Sidman imagines both sides of typewritten correspondences between unlikely pen-pal pairs, including a school and one of its bricks, a coat and a button, and a child and their toes. The book’s title refers to missives exchanged by a melancholy oak tree and its soon-to-fall acorn; the nut acknowledges that while its growth will be “so slow!” the acorn will nevertheless remain “your friend, the one who rises up beside you.” Later, a “bobbing, drifting, shimmering!” soap bubble sends greetings to the sky, who thanks it for “that soapy kiss” before popping. Sweet (Unbound) responds to these heartfelt messages with signature-style collage images that go beyond special delivery: each one incorporates variations on color, perspective, scale, texture, and typography. Sincere regards to this fanciful celebration of connection, interdependence, and the rewards of not forgetting to write. Human characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An afterword provides guidance on creating letter poems. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)