A Letter to Amy

Author: Ezra Jack Keats

Title: A Letter to Amy

Book Genre: Realistic Fiction

Publishing Info: Harper Collins, 30 pp

Summary: Peter decided that he wanted to write his friend Amy a letter as an invitation to his party on Saturday. As soon as he took the letter outside to mail it, a nasty storm came and blew it away. Peter chased the floating letter all the way down the street. In a great hurry while chasing the letter, Peter bumped right into Amy on the street. He caught the letter before she could see it was to her. Because Peter grabbed the letter from Amy, her feelings were hurt. Saturday came and Amy did not show up to the party – or so he thought until she busted in the door with a huge “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PETER”.

Personal rating: ****

Rationale: Children would love this book. It involves friends and parties. The illustrations are great with a very believable story.

Reading level: 1.8

Interest level: K-4th

Thematic Areas: friendship; family; excitement; weather

Content Areas: science; language

Potential Problems or Difficulties: No potential problems or difficulties.

Possible use in classroom: This would be a great book to read and assign students pen pals – in another classroom or school. Children could make class mailboxes so that they could write each other letters in free choice centers. For exercise, children could play hopscotch outside during recess (like Peter did in the book).