Pichard, Alexandra. Pen Pals. Aladdin, 2017. unp. $17.99. ISBN: 978-1-4814-7247-0. Gr. 2+. P8 Q8
Despite their differences, an ant and an octopus become friends while writing letters back and forth to each other. The ant, Oscar, lives on land and his pen pal, Bill the octopus, lives under the ocean. By writing letters to each other, they learn that they also have much in common. By the end of the book they plan to visit each other, they just have to figure out how. Using colored paper for the letters, yellow for Oscar and blue for Bill, makes it easier for the reader to follow who is doing the writing. The illustrations help to show the growing friendship between these two unlikely friends. Originally published in France in 2014 as Cher Bill by Gallimard Jeunesse.
Verdict: This is the book to use for anyone planning a unit on letter writing.
April 2017 review by Carol Bernardi.
Oregon Coast Youth Book Preview Center 