It Came in the Mail

Liam, a wide-eyed, freckle-faced kid with brushy hair, wishes for more mail. He writes a letter to his mailbox: "I would like to get something in the mail. Something big! Please! Love, Liam." The results are spectacular. "When Liam looked inside, he was met by a blast of fire. A dragon had come in the mail!" That might have satisfied some children, but Liam wants more, and he gets it, as a fountain of odd objects and cheerful creatures erupts from his mailbox (some with their own in-jokes, like the snail who says, "Je m'appelle Wes Cargo!"). Clanton's story shapes up like a Sorcerer's Apprentice-type tale that will end badly, but Liam generously distributes his mailbox wealth to other children, who are delighted. In keeping with the postal theme, Clanton (Something Extraordinary) draws on postcards, envelopes, and writing paper, his big-eyed, amiable creatures assuring readers that everything's under control. In this genial twist on a fable of greed, Liam receives everything he wants and becomes a better person for it--and he gets to keep his dragon, too. Ages 4-8. Agent: Marietta Zacker, Nancy Gallt Literary Agency. (June)

Liam almost gets his freckles scorched off when he opens the mailbox at the end of his driveway and meets Sizzlefritz for the first time. Once the dragon's flames die down, readers see Liam has a toothy smile because he's finally gotten something in the mail. In his thank you letter, he writes, "You are the best mailbox ever!" Once Liam learns the secret to receiving mail (and it's not what you think), he is bombarded with surprises like a funny bone that tells jokes, a whale stamped "air whale," and a wearable red mustache. In the process of finding homes for all his mail, he learns that he enjoys sending things more than receiving them. Against a backdrop of lined paper and burned envelopes, the pencil and watercolor characters say things like "diddly-squat," "krink," and "squibble, wibble, whoop!" Clanton's latest picture book reminds readers that the mailbox is and will always be a magical invention, no matter where you live in the world. VERDICT Storytimes and classroom units on community helpers will be enlivened by a read-aloud of this selection.—Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada