Dear Street, written by Lindsay Zier-Vogel and illustrated by Caroline Bonne-Muller. Kids Can Press, 2023. $21.99 ages 3 and up

 

"The days got warmer and warmer until 
the sun blazed in the sky from breakfast 
to bedtime. Instead of eating dinner at the 
kitchen table, Alice picnicked in the park 
at the end of her street."

I have many, many fond memories of the street my family lived on when my brother and I were growing up. Whenever we get to talking with old friends, stories from those days are front and center. It was a wonderful neighborhood; a place where we spent many of our days together. We still talk about the people who lived there, the mischief we often made, and the laughter we shared. It was not unusual to be outside for most of the day. We loved our street. 

Just as we did, Alice loves her street. Although we did not know it then, there were probably people who lived nearby who did not love it as much as us. As Alice watches the goings-on, she notices she has a neighbor who is grumbling about the construction crew there to fix potholes. Alice feels upset for the street. So, she writes a letter telling the street what she loves about it. Once finished, she leaves that letter for someone else to find. 

The person who finds the letter takes notice of what Alice has written. While picnicking at the park when the weather warms, Alice listens to the complaints of those who feel the park is too crowded and the sun too hot. Alice leaves a letter for the park, and it is found on the bench where she left it. That leads to someone taking a rest and the time to read it. It is just what is needed at that time. Alice continues to do the same through the seasons, always showing gratitude for those things that annoy others. 

With the arrival of spring rains, Alice finds that she, too, is a touch grumpy about a few things. It's Alice's turn to find a letter similar to what she has been writing. It spurs her to do even better for the people in her neighborhood. It happens with the help of a new friend. Colorful illustrations are created with acrylic, pencil and crayon to show a bustling and diverse community. 

In a note placed at the back of the book, the author explains that she has been asking people to write about the things they love in their neighborhoods. It started with her, but soon expanded to the Love Lettering Project which includes communities around the world. What a mindful way to spread love!