Sincerely, Emerson: A Girl, Her Letter, and the Helpers All Around Us

by Emerson Weber, Jaclyn Sinquett (Illustrator)

Overview

One tiny act of kindness can have a huge impact. And in this heartwarming, hopeful, absolutely true story, a simple letter does just that.

A true story that quickly went viral, this is now a timely, extraordinary picture book. Sincerely, Emerson follows eleven-year-old Emerson Weber as she writes a letter of thanks to her postal carrier, Doug, and creates a nationwide outpouring of love.

This is a story of gratitude, hope, and recognition: for all the essential helpers we see everyday, and all those who go unseen. Perfect for sharing alongside such favorites as Pat Zietlow Miller and Jen Hill's Be Kind and Matt de la Peña and Loren Long's Love.

There are lots of ways to help the world go round:

Some people collect the trash.

Some stock grocery shelves.

Some drive buses and trains.

Some help people who are sick.

Some deliver our mail.

And some people write letters.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063089594
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	12/08/2020
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	28 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Emerson Weber is an 11-year-old with a passion for letter writing, art, and Taylor Swift. Emerson lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with her mom, dad , and brother, Finn.

Editorial Reviews

An ode to the art of letter writing and to the importance of giving thanks. A fantastic supplement to lesson plans that teach kindness and empathy.”  — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

01/01/2021

PreS-Gr 3—Emerson Weber, an 11-year-old white girl from Sioux Falls, SD, loved writing letters to friends and family. In this inspirational picture book, Emerson shows her gratitude to her local mailman by writing him a thank you note. This one act of kindness is shared with many other mail carriers around the country and Emerson gains a multitude of pen pals. These correspondences allow her to learn more about the lives of other people, teaching her the importance of community workers and how they make an impact on the world. Sinquett illuminates Emerson's experience in dazzling watercolor and pencil illustrations as well as personalized hand lettering. The carefully designed images link Emerson's story to current events. Families are depicted traveling to school wearing masks and healthcare heroes are seen attending those in need. VERDICT An ode to the art of letter writing and to the importance of giving thanks. A fantastic supplement to lesson plans that teach kindness and empathy.—Claire Moore, Manhattan Beach Library, CA

School Library Journal

2020-11-18
An inveterate young correspondent relates the true story of how a thank-you note to her postal carrier went viral.

Writing in third person, the preteen author introduces herself as a lover of silly jokes, Taylor Swift, and, particularly, hand-decorated missives. She produces them in such profusion that she writes a letter of appreciation to Doug, her letter carrier: “I make people happy with my letters, but you do too. You make it possible!” Shortly thereafter, she learns that Doug had shared her letter with his colleagues, because grateful responses from postal workers all over the country begin arriving by the boxload…each one “a connection,” she writes, with “a piece of someone’s life in it.” The unforeseen reaction prompts thoughts that many others, from farmers to trash collectors, are likewise out there working hard and with love. Inset views of workers of diverse occupations and races accompany these ruminations in Sinquett’s brightly hued watercolors. (Weber, her parents, and Doug all present White.) Elsewhere, the illustrator also tucks in calligraphic flourishes, colorfully ornamented envelopes, and handwritten letters with chatty or plaintive phrases. The author closes with a joke but just before that poses a question that serves nicely as a rhetorical kick in the pants: “Why was my saying thank you such a big deal?” Perhaps because there’s not quite enough of that going around? (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 75% of actual size.)

An ode to the pleasures of real mail and the value of seeing and appreciating those who keep our society ticking. (Informational picture book. 7-9)

Kirkus Reviews