Kyoko Hara entices young readers in this early reader with the charms of a concept with which they might be unfamiliar: letter writing. Hara's text, translated from the Japanese by Alexandrea Mallia, creates an enchanting epistolary friendship between a first-grade girl and a mysterious correspondent. The simple, realistic plot has a dash of magic that makes for a sweet tale of friendship.
Mayu is staying with her grandparents near a forest she finds especially enticing. From her own home high in an apartment building in the city, Mayu can just barely see the tops of the trees: "She smiled every time she imagined the forest." Now all she wants to do is go into the forest. And her first stroll rewards her with a grand discovery: "Placed in between two tree trunks was a box with writing on it that said, 'Mailbocks/ Please put letters in here. Everyone is welcome. From forest friend.' " Mayu begins to exchange letters through the box with a spelling-challenged pen pal named Konta. As their friendship develops, Mayu grows determined to discover exactly who this mysterious letter writer is.
Hara unearths the allure of letter writing for young readers who are likely to respond much as Mayu first does: "it's faster just to call you." Color and black-and-white illustrations from Kazue Takahashi accompany the narration, their childlike quality highlighting the innocence and wonder captured in Mayu's experiences. The Mailbox in the Forest is a cute story that can easily ignite positive discussions about new (or old) ideas. --Jen Forbus, freelancer