Dear Street

A girl shares her love for her neighborhood, and finds that love multiplies, in this child-friendly story that encourages mindfulness and gratitude.

Alice loves her street. She loves its tall maple trees and marigolds and its apartment buildings with their colorful balconies. But not everyone feels the same. “Grumble, grumble, more construction, grumble, late, grumble,” she overhears. So Alice decides to write her street a love letter, which she leaves for someone to find. Through the seasons, as Alice encounters people grumbling about other things, she writes those things love letters, too, and leaves them to be found. She writes to her local park, a maple tree and even the snow. Then, one day, when Alice finds herself grumbling, she discovers a letter someone else has written to the spring crocuses. And Alice feels the joy she has been spreading to others come back to her!

Lindsay Zier-Vogel has created a delightful, uplifting story that celebrates how small acts by a single person can make a difference in a community. It inspires readers to pay attention and appreciate what they encounter every day. Caroline Bonne-Müller’s busy color-drenched illustrations beautifully evoke the abundance surrounding everyone (grumbling or not!) every day. This story was inspired by the international Love Lettering Project created by the author, in which participants write love letters to their communities and hide them for strangers to find. An explanation of the project at the end of the story encourages readers to write their own letters. This heartwarming picture book aligns with social studies lessons on cultures and communities, and character education lessons on caring, empathy and initiative.