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74 pp.
| Museyon
| October, 2021
|
Trade
ISBN 978-1-940842-53-0
$14.99
(
2)
1-3
Translated by
Alexandrea Mallia.
Illustrated by
Kazue Takahashi.
In this appealingly illustrated chapter book, Mayu, a city-dwelling first grader, spends a holiday with her grandparents in the country and becomes enthralled by the adjacent woodland. When she discovers a private mailbox deep in the forest, she posts a letter, and soon she has become pen pals with the mysterious Konta. They share information about their families, and an alert reader might begin to suspect that Konta has a secret. On a glorious watercolor spread glowing with the gold of fall foliage, Konta is revealed as a fox child. Mayu is due to return home and wonders how she and Konta will be able to maintain their epistolary friendship; happily, a bird suggests a creative solution. Occasional culturally specific Japanese references, such as making a teru teru bozu doll to discourage rain, are perfect for early-chapter-book readers, whose horizons are expanding. A subtle subtext suggests that Mayu is ambivalent about her new baby sister and that time spent with indulgent grandparents, the freedom to explore nature, and making a new friend are just what is required to weather that potentially sticky family shift.
Reviewer:
Sarah Ellis
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2022