A Letter to My Teacher

by Deborah Hopkinson, Nancy Carpenter (Illustrator)

Overview

This funny, touching picture book–the perfect gift for a child to give to their own teacher–celebrates the difference a good teacher can make. Written as a thank-you note to a special teacher from the student who never forgot her, this moving story makes a great read-aloud and a perfect gift for Teacher Appreciation Day or Graduation!

Dear Teacher, Whenever I had something to tell you, I tugged on your shirt and whispered in your ear. This time I’m writing a letter.

So begins this heartfelt picture book about a girl who prefers running and jumping to listening and learning—and the teacher who gently inspires her. From stomping through creeks on a field trip to pretending to choke when called upon to read aloud, this book’s young heroine would be a challenge to any teacher. But this teacher isn’t just any teacher. By listening carefully and knowing just the right thing to say, she quickly learns that the girl’s unruly behavior is due to her struggles with reading. And at the very end, we learn what this former student is now: a teacher herself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780375868450
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	04/04/2017
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	173,215
Product dimensions:	11.00(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD620L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Deborah Hopkinson is the author of many highly acclaimed picture books, including Beatrix Potter and the Unfortunate Tale of a Borrowed Guinea Pig; Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building, a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Book; and Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek: A Tall, Thin Tale, an ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book. She lives in Oregon with her family. Visit her at deborahhopkinson.com.
 
Nancy Carpenter illustrated 17 Things I’m Not Allowed to Do Anymore, called “picture-perfect” in a starred review from School Library Journal, and 11 Experiments That Failed, both by Jenny Offill. She has collaborated with Deborah Hopkinson on two previous books, including Apples to Oregon, an ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Editorial Reviews

★ 01/30/2017
Hopkinson’s moving epistolary text and Carpenter’s emotionally incisive flashbacks chronicle the evolving relationship between an impulsive second grader and her life-changing teacher. Never doubting the girl’s potential, the unnamed teacher holds the rambunctious student’s attention with a steady, reassuring gaze and deep reserves of empathy and patience. Those same qualities are at work in the storytelling: rather than building to a single dramatic epiphany or declaration, Hopkinson and Carpenter (who previously teamed up for Fannie in the Kitchen and Apples to Oregon) allow the girl’s trust and confidence to grow little by little. There are setbacks—the girl’s misbehavior during a field trip prompts the normally even-tempered teacher to describe her as “exasperating” (“That night my mom helped me look it up in the dictionary”). But by the end of the school year, the child has become an avid student and class leader. And by the end of the story, which returns to the present day, readers will discover just how powerful a great role model can be. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"A valuable lesson in empathy, internalized and paid forward."  —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Hopkinson’s moving epistolary text and Carpenter’s emotionally incisive flashbacks chronicle the evolving relationship between an impulsive second grader and her life-changing teacher." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

From the Publisher

02/01/2017
Gr 1–3—A young woman reflects on her experiences as an energetic, impatient child by writing a letter to the teacher who nevertheless managed to make second grade "the best year ever." As the narrator's childhood antics are disclosed, adult readers will appreciate the teacher's ability to channel the girl's curiosity into her learning. Young readers may find the book a bit too sentimental, however, since the narrator's exploits lack the ingenuity of her teacher's attempts to reel her in, and fade in comparison with those of some of her wayward fictional counterparts. Each vignette from the year is illustrated in muted pen-and-ink with splashes of color, and the characters' expressions evoke their emotions as they navigate what it means to teach and to learn. The tale will resonate with those looking for an intimate portrayal of the relationship between student and teacher, who will appreciate the light it shines on the ways in which teachers can impact their students long after the single year they spend together is over. VERDICT This tender story of a recalcitrant student and the teacher she never forgot will likely touch the hearts of adults, but its nostalgic retrospective narration will leave many children unmoved.—Anna Stover, Poughkeepsie Day School, NY

School Library Journal

★ 2016-12-21
The titular letter reveals how a second-grade teacher effected positive changes in the life of a behaviorally challenged child. "I hope you remember me.…I wore a bright yellow raincoat and a dark, stormy frown—because for me, school meant sitting still and listening, two things I wasn't much good at." Throughout the book, the nameless student—a small, pale-skinned girl with long, dark hair—exhibits behaviors that exasperate most adults and many children, too. She shouts out exuberant comments without waiting her turn; she attempts to derail read-aloud time with comical interruptions; she wanders from her class into potential danger on two field trips. The writer reminisces about how the teacher managed to avoid humiliating the girl and instead found ways to use the girl's strengths, leading the child to the better academic and social skills that generally accompany improved self-esteem. From the cover art through the end pages, the artwork is fabulous. Skilled line drawings capture every emotion, while aesthetically appealing watercolor washes accentuate lead characters. Students are multiethnic, and the teacher has black, crinkly hair and light-brown skin. One humorous double-page spread keeps the teacher from inadvisable, total sainthood. Ironically, the number of sentences on each page and the gentle, subtle humor make this book most likely to appeal to adults and to children of the less-than-wiggly persuasion, but its empathetic message won't be wasted on anyone. A valuable lesson in empathy, internalized and paid forward. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews

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