Love Letters

by Arnold Adoff, Lisa Desimini (Illustrator)

A poetry collection enhanced by lavish collages and paintings places secret admirers, klutzes, friends, enemies, moms and dads, and dogs and cats as the objects of humorous and amorous valentines.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Kristin Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the poems were humorous. Others were just okay. And I didn't understand some of the illustrations. Like the poem called Dear Slick which is Illustrated with a snowman with a basketball for a head. I get the basketball, but why the snow?

[Jenni Heins · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was 5 stars when I read it in college. This time I still appreciated the poetry but the art was sometimes weird.

[Anna Maledon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the whole package. I like the mixed media art with every illustration done in a different style, very refreshing. And I also like the sculpted poems - the words in each poem are originally arranged.

This will make a nice Valentine's Day gift for anyone as there is a range of objects of love: wife, parents, teachers, sister, brother, pet, classmate... Really cool.

The other book by the same author I recommend is his picture book from the 70s THE BLACK IS BROWN IS TAN which got reillustrated in 2002 or thereabout. It is about a mixed-race family. I wish I found out about this book years ago when my kids were younger. I found out about it today while listening to a podcast by Betsy Bird (children's librarian). The podcast is called Fuse 8 n' Kate, and it's super fun and awesome. I listen to it on soundcloud.com.

[Patricia Bleile · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was filled with a series of different love letters by anonymous people. I would use this book in the classroom as a way to teach my students on the importance of self expression and the different ways of going about it.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting collection of love letter poems written to various people - classmates, parents, pets, etc.

[Makaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a collection of different love poems. The poems are not only for Valentine's day but also for any day of the year. The poems are also for animals and humans alike and the poems and weather and numbers.

[Caycee Hatchette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal reaction: I liked this book of poems. They made me laugh and I was able to connect to some of them.

I would probably read these poems to fourth or fifth graders because a lot of them are love letters addressed to crushes. These poems have a lot of figurative language in them. There's a mixture of personification, metaphors, and similes to help the writer describe their emotions. I think this would be a good book to show how letter writing can be fun and creative and that letters don't always have to be super serious. There is also an even mix of word choice, with some being more simplistic than others. I think that the students would also enjoy reading these on their own times because they are so funny. The illustrations are a mix between real and drawings. There are a few poems about the teacher and the teacher is an actual human picture but the other pictures in to book are just drawings. The pictures do go hand-in-hand with the words though.

[Crystal Ingram · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Letters by Arnold Adoff was book compiled of concrete poems about letter to enemies, lovers, friends, family, and so on. I thought the book was pretty cute, with some poems that were funny, and some poems that were ones that I could relate too. I would use this in a late elementary classroom, to show students different, sometimes funny, ways to express themselves around valentines day. Teachers could make fun activities with this book, like having their students write letters to their parents or something along those lines. I gave this book a three stars, partly because I found it hard enjoying the book because it really did not seem to have a plot or a theme to it. The book is titled love letters but not all of these letters even closely resemble love. I think the title could be a little misleading to some readers. While I would not read the book again, I know that some people who enjoy poetry would really enjoy the book.

[Carol Royce Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sixth grade teacher introduced me to this book, and I fell in love with some of the pieces. The love letters are assorted, a crush on a boy in the class, one to an old dog, a love and a not-quite-love letter to a teacher, and my favorite, a love letter written from an older brother to a younger sister that made me laugh out loud. All beautiful, sensitive, and some funny. I'm going to have to get a copy of this one for myself.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute children's poetry book. A collection of 20 cute, fun and creative poems. Perfect to read to a child for Valentine's Day. My favorite-
Dear Prince:
My hair is very short.
I don't live high up at the top of some
castle.
and I don't need the rescue.
Just
ride
your
blue
bike
down my
street and ring the bell
this Saturday.
We can
chase
those
dragons
to
gether.
Your Potential Princess

[Laurie]

I read this to a group of middle school students just before Valentine's Day, and they loved it. We were all charmed. My favorite love poem is the dedication.

Dear Ginger Belle:
These Love Letters.
These Love Poems
Are
For
You
For All The Days
Of All The Years.

Your Own Arn.

Arnold Adoff, there is no one more appealing than a man who is madly in love with his own wife.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread 9/26/15 A humorously romantic collection of poems written as letters. Each voice is distinctive and varies in intent. I alway laugh out loud at "Dear Fill-In-Your-Own Name" but my favorite is "Dear Prince." I have always appreciated Adoff's dedication to his wife Virginia Hamilton. This is an outstanding collection of shape poems with highly creative mixed-media illustrations.

[Darrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This warm and heart warming book of poetry has something for everyone. From little classsroom crushes to the appreciation among best friends share poems from this book with pre-k students to 5th graders to encourage them to share their feelings with the people that matter

[Renae Williams]

Great book to read around Valentines Day! This book features several love letters written in funny, sweet and clever ways. I would have a class write their own "love letter" to someone in their family.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Third grade +.

"A collection of twenty poems written by kids and klutzes, secret admirers and detractors, friends, enemies, and skeptics to the objects of their affection - or aversion."

Good use of irregular lines. Great "school" themes in fun poems.

[Alison Whiteman · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to laugh, read this book. The children in this book write Valentine's cards to their parents, teachers, each other and none of them are sickly sweet. I laughed out loud mainly because I was not at the library. :-)

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Valentine's poem book of all time!

[Cindy Pardew]

Dear fill-In-Your Own-Name and Dear New Boy

[Sharlene Spencer · Rating 2 out of 5]

letters written by kids. Too many letters in the book. Could have been shorter.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The letters are hit and miss, but this book gets an extra star for fascinating art work.

[Bookjeannnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely, sweet, real.

[Riley Hoffart]

This book is a collection of poetry with collages and paintings of friends and family that have very funny and romantic valentines

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

About the different kinds of "love". For example, the love for food, clothes, pets, family members, colors, songs, etc.

Good read for Valentine's Day

[Erin Brawner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book when teaching poetry. It has letter from any type of person in a valentine setting.

[Alana · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this books defense, I don't like poetry.

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this book of poetry very much. To me a lot seemed disjointed and it was hard to read.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love letters written in the form of poems. Excellent!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable. Read it when you need a smile!

[Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is very touching. the love poems are slightly ridicules.

[Ally Lybbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poetry. Picture Book.
I think this would be fun to have in the classroom. At a certain age, I think it's important to teach students that we love all kinds of different people in our lives. This book has love letters to moms, dads, siblings, pets and even themselves.