Dear Elsa

by Marco Fraticelli

Leo has just moved from Montreal to Toronto and hates his new school. Elsa lives in Boston, navigating her parents' divorce and her dad's relationship with a new girlfriend. The two become "pen pals" via email for a school assignment, and their lives are documented here in a funny and poignant exchange that takes place across their grade five year. A book about friendship, haiku, and finding one's gifts.

161 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2023

Reviews

[Kay S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book incredibly readable. It was easy and I could follow it all. I probably think that it's because nothing happened. Like... if I tried to graph this book on a story graph thing I'm not entirely sure where any of it would fall. It felt like it was missing an ending (like a chapter told in third person where the kids meet and they're both so different and they go play in the ocean or something).

The author has a great concept of language for middle grade books but it could use more structure.

[Barbra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leo lives in Toronto and Elsa lives in Boston. Through their grade 5 teachers they connect as pen pals. As they send each other emails, they develop a relationship based on their thoughts and feelings about school, life, family, and poetry. They find in each other someone to whom they can trust and speak their mind. Although their lives seem completely opposite, Leo hates school and rules and Elsa loves both, they confide in each other and offer advice, that they don’t always take. A quick read that will have children laughing and thinking about different kinds of friendship.

[Amber McCawley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, quick read!