The Lonely Mailman

by Susanna Isern, Daniel Montero Galán (Illustrator), Jon Brokenbrow (Translator)

Overview

"A loving tribute to problemsolvers, quarrel menders, and peacemakers." -Kirkus Reviews.

Each day, the old mailman faithfully delivers special letters to the forest animals. But the mailman has never received any letters of his own. Then one day everything changes. This touching story of friendship and love will delight readers and letter writers of all ages.

Guided Reading Level: M, Lexile Level: 710L

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Product Details

ISBN-13:	9788416147984
Publisher:	Cuento de Luz
Publication date:	04/11/2017
Series:	Whispers in the Forest
Pages:	28
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 10.30(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD610L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 8 Years

About the Author

Susanna Isern (La Seu d'Urgell, Spain, 1978) is an award-winning children's books author. She is also a professor of Psychology of learning at the European Universityof the Atlantic and directs the Cabinet of Psychology at Aula Dédalo in Santander. Since she published her first picture book in 2011, more than 30 children's books have seen the light of day. Most of her works are sold internationally and can be found in more than a dozen languages, and also written in Braille. Among her most popular albums we find What Are You Scared of, Little Mouse? awarded Silver Medal in the USA Moonbeam Children's Books Award 2015 and The Magic Ball of Wool, awarded Silver Medal at the USA Moonbeam Children's Book Awards 2013.

Daniel Montero Galán (Madrid, 1981) was born prematurely, at the early age of zero. His head was always full of birds. As time went by, they reproduced, and along came a lot of different kinds of creatures, making a great noise—squawks, grunts, and screams… so he decided to transfer them into a paper to silence them. He keeps a deal with his drawings: they live thanks to him and he lives from them. Because of this symbiosis, more than thirty illustrated books stand up for him to testify that his thing in life is drawing. Day by day, and every other night, he continues to perfect spiral and rectilinear shapes to keep fit without losing shape. Watercolor fights a great battle with the marker to have a leading role on its cardboard.

Editorial Reviews

03/27/2017
A badger mailman rides his bicycle through the forest all day, delivering letters to the local animals. Through the letters, the animals—handsomely dressed in sweaters, button-down shirts, and eyeglasses—resolve misunderstandings, exchange invitations to dinner or tea, and form friendships. One letter reveals that Rabbit is eager to join Bear at the lake but doesn’t know how to swim. “Dear Rabbit, I’ve had a great idea for when I’m bathing in the lake,” begins Bear’s reply. “You can climb up on my back, just as if I were a big old boat.” Back in the badger’s den, readers learn that the mailman is actually writing the letters. In lush, richly rendered paintings, Galán (It’s a Pain to Be a Princess!) creates a enchanting forest community; crisp blue day gives way to a spectacular sunset and a night lit by candles that cast a furious orange glow. Though readers may have logistical questions about the mailman’s altruistic scheme and how he’s so aware of the animals’ needs and troubles, Isern (Bear Wants to Fly) makes plain that the first steps to building community can be as simple as reaching out. Ages 6–8. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Galán (It’s a Pain to Be a Princess!) creates an enchanting forest community; crisp blue day gives way to a spectacular sunset and a night lit by candles that cast a furious orange glow. (…)Isern (Bear Wants to Fly) makes plain that the first steps to building community can be as simple as reaching out." —Publishers Weekly

"A loving tribute to problem-solvers, quarrel menders, and peacemakers." —Kirkus Reviews

"(...) Isern's cute-and-fuzzy story includes the text of the letters, which are full of invitations, apologies, and considerate sentiments. Galan's whimsical, richly painted scenes of expressive, nattily dressed forest denizens exude warmth, and as the sun sets on the mailman's day, the sky is filled with brilliant color, and the foreground scenes are thrown into sharp silhouette. A sweet story of generosity and sowing seeds of friendship." —Booklist

"A satisfying tale about a character so woven into the fabric of the day-to-day that the full extent of his impact goes unnoticed until, thanks to an observant mouse, it is recognized. A lovely choice for most shelves." —School Library Journal

"Friendship, solidarity, and other values ​​are present throughout history. A delicate picture book, with warm illustrations full of details, where the reader can browse through the letters that each animal receives." —Canal Lector

"A book about friendship, solidarity, and other values. A delicate text by Susanna Isern with beautiful warm and very autumnal illustrations, printed in a sustainable way and on stone paper, a Cuento de Luz’s bet that we love." —El País

"The Lonely Mailman makes us reflect on how important it is to take care of the needs of each other so that we can coexist peacefully and satisfactorily in the world, in the space we share. A picture book to talk about generosity, affection, the importance of living serenely to enjoy life while recognizing the limits of one's freedom and the freedom of others." —Literatura Respetuosa

"A story that shows us the importance of empathy and the ability to put oneself in the place of the other, fundamental when it comes to sharing spaces with others." —Apegoyliteratura

From the Publisher

A sweet story of generosity and sowing seeds of friendship. - Booklist

Booklist

One of the Best New Picture Books, April 2017 - The Children's Book Review

The Children's Book Review

(...) In lush, richly rendered paintings, Galán (It’s a Pain to Be a Princess!) creates an enchanting forest community; crisp blue day gives way to a spectacular sunset and a night lit by candles that cast a furious orange glow. - Publishers Weekly

PW

05/01/2017
PreS-Gr 2—Against the orange sky of sunrise, an industrious mailman (a badger) climbs onto his bicycle and begins his day. Once his bag is emptied, the content of each typed letter hovers above the forest animal recipient: apologies, invitations, cleared up misunderstandings—all thoughtful and full of feeling. Through it all, the mailman doesn't say very much. His solitary aura gives the impression that he is a lonely figure who has little effect on his surroundings—until readers follow him home at the end of the day and discover a typewriter on his table. The warmly painted illustrations enhance this sweet mystery, and the close-up of the badger realizing that his secret is out and appreciated is especially heartfelt. VERDICT A satisfying tale about a character so woven into the fabric of the day-to-day that the full extent of his impact goes unnoticed until, thanks to an observant mouse, it is recognized. A lovely choice for most shelves.—Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library

School Library Journal

★ 2017-02-14
A solitary mail carrier brings more than just letters to a forest community.From early morning to shadowy twilight, an aging, bespectacled letter carrier—depicted in Montero Galán's forest scenes as a portly, uniformed badger on a bike—quietly delivers to the forest's burrows, dens, and nests. The notes—all typed and printed in boxes to separate them from the narrative text—offer complaints, apologies, reconciliations, or offers of friendship between animal neighbors. Hedgehog apologizes to Squirrel for an accidental jab, and Squirrel suggests in return having dinner together and a nice chat; Woodpecker's tapping keeps Dormouse up, and Woodpecker replies with a promise to find another tree; Rabbit would love to join Bear in the pond but is afraid of water, so Bear offers a back to climb on, "just as if I were a big old boat." At day's end the weary letter carrier goes home…to spend the evening typing out the very letters he's delivering. Then one day he finds a letter in his bag addressed to him. It's a thank-you note from the animals, who follow it up by gathering that night to heap him with appreciation. Emotionally, Montero Galán begins the letter carrier's tale with an orangey-red dawn and ends with a rosy-red candlelit scene. Although daytime scenes are dominated by blue skies and green grass, the artist unifies the palette throughout with such touches as the red wings of butterflies and red, autumnal leaves on the trees. The effect is to suffuse the pages with warmth. A loving tribute to problem-solvers, quarrel menders, and peacemakers. (Picture book. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews

"Friendship, solidarity, and other values ​​are present throughout history. A delicate picture book, with warm illustrations full of details, where the reader can browse through the letters that each animal receives." —Canal Lector

Booklist