Book Review: Letters About Literature (2016)

I can't recall how I stumbled onto these books, but I really enjoyed reading these letters from students to authors whose books have impacted their lives. In this 2016 collection, there are the typical front runners: letters to J.K. Rowling for the Harry Potter books, to R.J. Palacio for Wonder, Lois Lowry for The Giver, and Sharon Draper for Out of My Mind. But I really enjoyed the unexpected letters. One girl wrote a heart-wrenching letter to Bethany Hamilton explaining how she could relate to Bethany's loss of an arm in Soul Surfer because her family's trust and security were stolen by a home intruder. Another told of the relief in finding she was not alone in her struggle with her brother's autism by reading Ginny Rorby's How to Speak Dolphin. Several told of their personal experiences with the loss of a sibling to either suicide or natural causes. Plus, I once again found a book recommendation through reading these letters. I will seek out the one called Wrap-Up List because the student made it sound so enticing. Reading someone else's letter always feels like eavesdropping on their life. Pair that with books and it is a recipe for an interesting read.