A lovely reminder about the little things in our communities that make them special, Dear Street by Lindsay Zier-Vogel and Caroline Bonne-Müller is a love letter to communities.

Alice loves her street, the parks, the fall and the winter but others in her community do not. They grumble and complain. Each time she hears a grumbling, she writes a love letter about what makes the street special and leaves them tucked around for people to find to cheer them up. When, one day, Alice needs a cheer up, she discovers a letter from someone else and it reminds her just what to do.

Lindsay Zier-Vogel has crafted a lovely story that will inspire so many readers to write their own love letters or letters of appreciation. I love how the text flows through the seasons, finding something in the summer, fall, winter and spring to reflect upon. She reminds readers that the things that make us grumble (mostly us adults) can be beautiful and fun if we change our mindset. Snow and falling leaves are signs of hours of entertainment for young readers even though they require a little bit of extra work on the part of the adults. 

I also like that the story can be participatory. Young readers can help with the “grumble, grumbles” and can also offer their own ideas about what makes them or their adults grumble and how to change the mindset to see the beauty or the fun in the annoying bits of life.

Lindsay Zier-Vogel is the founder of the Love Lettering Project, encouraging people across the world to write love letters to their communities. If you live in Toronto, you will find these love letters in St. Lawrence Market and other places. Dear Street is the perfect story for teachers to use in classrooms to teach letter writing and to help with school and classroom community building!

The illustrations by Caroline Bonne-Müller are rich and luscious. She fills the pages with life and colour, showing the vibrancy of community and reminding readers to look a little closer at the wonder in the places where they live. The illustrations fill the pages whether they are two page spreads or single page illustrations making it a perfect book to share with a group.