Penned Perceptions

For more than a year two people have exchanged messages by mail, email, almost daily.  These letters are written and sent in the morning.  They are a way to stay connected, to gather thoughts about each day, to set goals, rejoice in accomplishments and to chronicle events.  They are a way to understand each other's likes, dislikes, and personalities and to grow a friendship.  These two people realize the value of written communication, the art in selecting the right words.

When you know you will be sending and receiving mail, there is a special kind of anticipation.  If you have not met the party in real life or are beginning a new relationship the air of mystery magnifies the excitement.  Dear Dragon (Viking, September 6, 2016) written by Josh Funk and illustrated by Rodolfo Montalvo is a delightful, epistolary adventure.

Hello, students!
Our poetry and pen pal projects
this year are combined.
Upon your desks you'll see the pen pals
that you've been assigned.

Two classrooms, with students completely unaware of each other, are beginning to practice their written rhyming skills.  George Slair and Blaise Dragomir have been paired as pen pals.  Although both admit to not liking writing, as readers we are immediately aware of the differing viewpoints of the boy and the dragon.  Words have very distinct definitions for each of them.

When Blaise mentions skydiving George imagines himself jumping from an airplane, parachute open, googles over his eyes and arms and mouth open in complete abandon.  For the dragon his favorite sport, skydiving, begins after jumping from Falcor Peak spreading his wings and cruising over the countryside.  When George mentions he is going out trick-or-treating in a knight costume, Blaise is decidedly less enthusiastic.

As the new year ends and another starts, the formality in the exchange of letters is dropped.  Blaise Dragomir becomes Blaise D.  George Slair is changed to George S.  The duo is becoming more comfortable in their conversations by letter.  The word confusion continues as they each believe they are writing to the same kind of individual.

George's curiosity is peaked when Blaise mentions his father has won the fire-breathing contest twice.  What kind of job does he have?  His parents are teachers.  Blaise's reply conjures up a scene in George's mind far from the truth.

As the school year comes to a close, so does the pen pal project.  A greet-and-meet picnic is planned.  By the changes in the letters it's clear the twosome have ideas of their own.  Can you imagine what will happen at the picnic?  Oh, those two teachers are certainly clever.


As he did in his debut title, Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast, Josh Funk spins a lively tale with his word selections.  His rhyming is never forced but full of fun.  Each correspondence is written in the mindset of the characters, appropriate to their ages.  Their talk of building forts, sports, skydiving, flying, and pets (one has a dog, the other a Bengal kitten) and favorite subjects in school is totally typical even if their perceptions are in complete contrast.  This provides continuous comedy.  Here is another sample passage.

October 31st
Dear Blaise Dragomir,

You know how to skydive?  That's
as awesome as it gets!

My dog destroyed my fort last 
night.  Do you have any pets?

Happy birthday, by the way! I
don't have mine till June.

I'm trick-or-treating as a knight.
We're heading out real soon.

George Slair


Looking from left to right Rodolfo Montalvo has presented to readers a panoramic view of buildings in a community surrounded by mountains on the dust jacket. (I am working with an F & G.)  The placement of George among the buildings with Blaise upside down above him in the sky is perfection.  To the left on the back a portion of Blaise's tail is holding the envelope for the opened letter he is reading.  The envelope holding the title text in George's thoughts is a foreshadowing of the depictions to follow.  Another two-page spread spans the title page.  George is walking along a picket fence reading a letter.  Above him Blaise is also reading as he flies over the town in the opposite direction toward the mountains.  George's dog, right next to a fire hydrant, is looking up.

Rendered in watercolors, black acrylic ink and graphite the images prior to and after the letters all span two pages.  Every line and brush stroke conveys emotion; especially in several wordless illustrations.  For each letter being read Montalvo has placed a viewpoint with a thought bubble over the reader's head.  On the opposite page with no framing is the intended picture.  The expressions on Blaise's and George's faces are fully animated.  The details in each visual are spirited and humorous; George's dog tugging on his knight's cape, the water faucet in Blaise's bathroom in the shape of a dragon's head, the wallpaper in George's bedroom, and the "face" on the excavator.

Two of my favorite illustrations are when George gets the letter from Blaise stating his father has won the local fire-breathing contest twice.  The letter George is reading has three singed corners.  In his mind a performer clothed as a daring, caped prince breathing fire is placed in a thought bubble of darkened smoke.  On the opposite page in swirls of fire Blaise's father is roaring out flames as he happily watches.


Dear Dragon written by Josh Funk with illustrations by Rodolfo Montalvo is an energetic exploration of letter writing, rhyming and misplaced notions.  Readers and listeners are sure to grin and giggle more than once at the contrast between the ideas held by the boy and the dragon.  You might want to have paper, pencils and pens along with envelopes ready for use after reading this gem aloud.  I would recommend pairing this with Herman's Letter, A Letter For Leo and It Came In The Mail.  


To learn more about Josh Funk and Rodolfo Montalvo and their other work please visit their websites by following the links attached to their names.  Josh Funk has some extra goodies for this title at his website.  Josh also wrote an article about this book at the BNKidsBlog.  The dust jacket is revealed at educator Jen Vincent's Teach Mentor Texts.  At All The Wonders there is a book cover premiere and an interview with both Josh Funk and Rodolfo Montalvo.  The book trailer is celebrated at the Nerdy Book Club.  Educator Gigi McAllister highlights this title and interviews Rodolfo Montalvo at The Late Bloomer's Book Blog.  Josh Funk is highlighted on teacher librarian Laura Given's blog, LibLaura5 here and here.

Put A Hold On Hibernation

There is only one more thing which tests the bonds of friendship as much as time; distance can make it tricky to maintain a relationship.  When you take away the ability to Skype, text, tweet, send a message on a social network or via email, this leaves you keeping your connections alive through letters.  When writing, words need to be carefully chosen so any reading between the lines conveys the right sentiment.

Sometimes the promises made between friends are hard to keep.  Herman's Letter (Bloomsbury, November 11, 2014) written and illustrated by Tom Percival poses the perennial problem between friends of one moving away from the other.  Missing someone is different for everyone, isn't it?

Herman and Henry had been 
best friends for as long as 
anyone could remember.

Herman is a big brown bear.  Henry is a pink...yes pink...raccoon.  As long as anyone can remember means all the way back to birth.  That's a long time to be friends.

They master game playing, form an exclusive club and devise a TOP SECRET handshake.  It looks like nothing is going to change their wonderful days together until Henry moves far, far away. They, of course, will write letters and pledge to be best friends always.

When Henry's first letter arrives Herman is not so sure Henry misses him as much as he misses Henry.  Herman focuses on one particular part in the letter instead of the other sentences written by his raccoon buddy.  The green-eyed monster is threatening to take up residence in Herman's heart.  With every cheerful letter from Henry, the bear sinks farther and farther into loneliness.

As spring, summer and fall pass, Herman finds himself getting ready for his winter nap.  Settling into his favorite chair ready to drift off to dreamland, he is startled by a familiar sound.  A letter has been delivered.  It's from Henry!

Herman is overjoyed with the words he reads.  Penning a reply to his pal he hurries out to put it in the forest mailbox.  What?!  How can it be closed for the winter?  If Herman wants Henry to get this letter there is only one thing he can do.

Drifts are getting deeper.  Winds are howling.  Temperatures turn everything icy.  Herman is far, far away from home and hibernation.  A suitcase gone wild spells trouble for Herman.  Will the mail go through?


The friendship of Herman and Henry is laid before us in the first expressive four sentences. Tom Percival knows the importance of shared laughter and playful memories in joining two beings together.  With each letter and the matching narrative after Henry moves, Percival heightens Herman's despair laying the foundation for total elation when the final letter is received.  It also makes perfect sense for the ensuing trek but he doesn't let us rest, providing the final two twists.


Upon opening the book case readers are treated to a two page illustration with letters as the background for the title and story line promotion.  One of the interior photographs used to portray Herman's and Henry's friendship is attached to the back letter with tape as if in a scrapbook.  While the cover shows winter as the season, the story begins in spring as shown on the initial title page.  The formal title page and verso are a collage of photographs of Henry and Herman and letters.

Alternating the illustrations' sizes and the number on each page or across two pages compliments the rhythm of the narrative and the lift-the-flap letters.  Full color pictures, with the weather and the background colors depicting moods, provide splendid pacing especially in the sequence of smaller images as Herman travels.  Of importance is the insertion of humor to maintain the faithfulness of the hopeful story line; Herman standing in the rain over a smoking barbecue, the words Oh bother in a speech balloon as Herman stands on a mountain range peak and results of the suitcase ride.

One of my favorite illustrations takes place in the springtime.  Herman and Henry are wearing appropriate pirate garb sitting in their tree house which looks like a ship on the ocean blue.  Henry is looking for bounty with a spyglass as Herman sips a cool drink.  It illustrates the phrase

Everything was just perfect...

Yes it is.


Who doesn't like to get letters?  Who doesn't like to interact with a book by opening and closing written greetings? Herman's Letter written and illustrated by Tom Percival will be a hit with readers who need to see how moving away may challenge a relationship but true friendship does last forever...even across the miles and through hibernation.  I would pair this book with Sergio Ruzzier's newest title, A Letter For Leo, Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School by Mark Teague (first of a series) or the classic The Jolly Postman or Other People's Letters by Janet and Allan Ahlberg.

For a little bit more information about Tom Percival follow the link to his website embedded in his name.  John Schumacher, teacher librarian extraordinaire, interviews Percival on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  An eight page activity kit has been developed by the publisher.  Enjoy the videos below.