Anyway, I no longer remember what I was trying to find online, but I stumbled across Mo Willems' web site and blog, which included his fan mail address and some of his favorite letters and drawings from young fans. When I told Hannah she could write him a letter, she was thrilled and began working on it at once. I wish I had saved a copy of the letter and drawing she did for him, but she placed it in the sealed envelope, and we mailed it before I thought about it. I do remember that her letter explained that her kindergarten teacher had read her some of his books, and that she writes her own books as well. She told him, "I want to be an author and illustrator just like you," and then she signed her name, adding at the end, "PS... I am 6 years old."
Not very long later (maybe a month?), we received a brown envelope in the mail, addressed to Hannah, with a tiny drawing of Knuffle Bunny next to the address. Inside, she had the following letter:
Well, I don't know who was more excited by the letter - me or Hannah! I do know that Hannah could not stop grinning as she read it over and over again. I love that the letter was completely personalized in response to what she wrote, and not just a form letter. He obviously took a little time with it, drawing a picture for her alongside his name. My favorite part, however, is that he encouraged her to keep writing and drawing, not to be just like him, but to be herself! It immediately inspired her to begin creating another book, and of course, she wants to send a copy to her favorite author - Mo Willems!
2 comments:
That is just awesome! I would have been thrilled too. Now I want to go find that author in out local library ...
The kids love his books! We have Knuffle Bunny, Free (the third one) on hold at the library so we can be the first to read it when it comes in. :-)
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