Dear Yeti

by James Kwan

A funny and heartfelt winter story about two boy hikers who set off to search for the mythical Yeti.

Two young hikers set out to look for Yeti one day, and with the help of a bird friend, they trek further and further into the woods, sending letters to coax the shy creature out of hiding. But as their trip goes on, the hikers find that they have not prepared very well, and though their morale is high, food supplies are low, the forest is getting darker, and a snowstorm looms. Luckily Yeti is a friend they can rely on, and though he's not ready to come out of hiding, he sneakily finds a way to get the hikers exactly what they need when they need it. A sweet and whimsical story of a perfect kid-sized winter adventure, Dear Yeti is the debut picture book of an author/illustrator to watch.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Friendship, Storytime, Adventure, Fiction, Fantasy

40 pages, Hardcover

First published November 3, 2015

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two young hikers are determined to track down a Yeti. Through the woods and up the mountain we go! Our tale is told in letters to the Yeti. Every new “Dear Yeti” letter seems to bring a new up, down, and danger to light. As darkness, wind, and spooky sounds move in, the hikers find themselves in deep, deep trouble. Will Yeti help?

I’m sort of a sucker for Yeti tales. The big guys and gals make me smile. Unfortunately, Mr. Kwan’s depiction of a Yeti didn’t really capture or inspire my imagination. He looked too similar to the grizzly in my opinion. *shrugs* Still a cute story with clear, easy to read words and beautiful blues on the page.

Yeti will show readers that kindness and communication can lead to friendship and warmhearted surprises. Just reach out. Talk, ask, help, and share!

Come say “Hi” to Yeti.

[Justin Langlois · Rating 3 out of 5]

Couldn't walk past this title and not pick it up. Two "hikers" are on a mission to find the yeti. They send him little notes and he "helps" them out in his own yeti way. Plus, I have a friend who resembles a yeti...so there is that.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

There has been a spate of picture books lately featuring yetis. I'm into it. :)

[Galina Krasskova · Rating 4 out of 5]

a delightful children's book, clever and fun.

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute!

[Karen Sawicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet story and beautiful illustrations.

[Ro Menendez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two "men", really two boys, set out to find the elusive Yeti. The men pigeon mail the Yeti their hopes of finding it, as well as news on how it is going with their quest. The Yeti will resonate with introverts who are curious and caring, but need time to open up to new situations. Readers will notice the subtle changes in the Yeti's feelings by reading its face each time he appears in the story. This story shines as a wonderful bedtime story, a great primer in letter writing, a sweet case study of persistence and patience.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love: the letter writing to a yeti, the bird messenger, the large n's cutesy font, the darling illustrations

Not such a fan of: where the story went... I had higher hopes.

The letter from the yeti on the last page redeems the book. :-)

[Laura McLoughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute and helpful yeti!

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this at B&N while looking for a present. So darn cute. I love that the story is told through letters (sent via bird) that the two children send to the Yeti they are on a quest to meet. Adorable.

[Alisha Hernandez]

Two boys go out on an adventure to find the yeti. They have a bird deliver letters to him. The yeti is secretly helping the hikers throughout their adventure. He leaves berries for them and builds and ice cave. The two boys get lost and run into a bear who might try to eat them. Yeti asks the bear not to eat his new friends. I like this book because it shows a friendship that is not likely. I also enjoyed that the boys didn't give up even when it got a little hard and scary. I loved that the story was told through letters. It is a fun whimsical book.

[Amy Layton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for yeti, so when I saw this I knew I needed to read it.  How absolutely adorable is this book??  From the concept to the writing to the pictures, I absolutely loved it.  Besides, who could possibly resist the idea of two boys looking for a yeti who's keeping an eye out for them and making sure they're safe?  I'M CRYING.  It's just so sweet, and a perfect wintertime book.

Review cross-listed here!

[Kat Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This author-illustrator effort from James Kwan combines two fun elements: letters and a very lovable yeti. The premise is a simple one, two hikers go out in search of a yeti and communicate with him via letters, which are delivered by a bird. Along the way, they run into a little bit of trouble...but not to worry, that's what yeti friends are for! Perfect for adventurous wee ones, or young readers that have a thing for mythical creatures.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet little book with modern illustrations about a pair of hikers searching for the yeti. I liked the format of having a series of letters penned by hikers to the yeti, it's rare to find a picture book with letters. I found the writing wasn't fantastic though. One major oversight was not having a sign off from the hikers (e.g. From, Hikers). I found myself adding this in because it sounded incomplete when read aloud. Not bad but could be improved.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two hikers set out to find the Yeti. They send letters telling the Yeti they're coming. He's shy and hides from them until he needs to rescue them from a grizzly bear.
The story is told through brief sentences and letters carried by a bird to the Yeti.
The landscape is fully created by Kwan to provide further details for his story.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two young hikers write letters to a yeti and they search for him, without realizing he is watching them. When they face challenges on their adventure, the yeti provides supplies and shelter for them. They finally meet the yeti when he saves them from his pet grizzly bear, and find a letter from the yeti upon their return home.

[Caroline K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the unique method of story telling which relies both on the text as well as the illustrations. The story is told almost exclusively by letters/notes sent from two characters to another. This engages the readers as they have to fill in the gaps.

Sweet story arc.

Pleasant illustrations with very whimsical features. Good introduction to letter writing.

Fun book!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two young hikers are on a mission to find the yeti. They keep sending the yeti letters to encourage him to show himself, but he doesn't seem particularly interested in meeting them.

This is a fun story, but the illustrations bothered me - the yeti is brown and looks more like a grizzly bear than a yeti.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two little hikers go on a search for Yeti. They send him notes by a little bird coaxing him to let them find him. Eventually, the notes turn to pleas for help because they are lost. Yeti proves himself to be a friend.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book for fans of hiking and Yeti fans. The letter writing format also makes it appropriate for use in classroom discussions about mail & letter writing.

Best for toddlers - elementary school.

The illustrations are great!

Kids loved it.

[Erin Buhr · Rating 3 out of 5]

The choice to write this story in letters is an interesting one. I thoroughly enjoyed the illustrations though and the sweet interplay between the hikers and the yeti even before they meet. There is a good sense of adventure but also childlike curiosity that flows through this book.

[Roben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our two young hikers go out in search of a yeti. They send yeti letters along the way and, of course, get themselves into a heap of trouble. Fortunately, yeti is there to rescue them and help them find their way home. Not my favorite yeti book - but cute.

[Alicia Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for my mythical creature storytime this week. The kids thought it was cute, but they had a difficult time grasping what a yeti was. I think this would work best for readers who are already familiar with yetis, as the book doesn't show much of them. Cute story and loved the letters.

For: yeti fans; readers looking for an adventurous book.

Possible red flags: some readers may find it too short or may not enjoy on the nuances.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an adorable about 2 young adventurers searching for the Yeti. I love the element of letter writing they use to try and communicate with Yeti and the sweet story of building a new friendship even when you might feel nervous or afraid at first. Great book!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An epistolary picture book featuring the correspondence between two hikers and a yeti. Over the course of their back-and-forth with letters, the crew becomes friends, using a bird as a go-between. A sweet story of friendship.

[Johnathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute book. The story is told through letters to the yeti, as two kids going looking for them. A lot of fun. Parents can enjoy reading small amounts of text and asking kids "what's happening in the pictures" and listening to their responses.

Not right for a storytime, but a fun book.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute!

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little story of the burgeoning friendship between some hikers and a cryptid. The art was engaging and showed the friendliness of all the characters.

Read at the Cincinnati Art Museum's Rosenthal Education Center

[Robin Raines-Bond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, cute book!

[Donna Ciriello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute.