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What to do when your mom or dad says-- "Write to grandma!"
Offers guidelines for writing letters and includes sample thank-you notes and invitations.
- GenresChildrens
48 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1984
About the author
Joy Berry
861 books58 followersWith over 85 million copies of her books sold, Joy Berry’s message has helped children around the world lead more responsible lives.
Joy Berry, pioneering educator, trusted child-development and parenting specialist, is the bestselling author of Joy Berry Classics for children with more than 250 titles and 85 million copies of her books sold. Joy Berry’s lifelong mission is to help kids help themselves by providing the information and motivation children need to lead responsible lives. Simply put, Joy Berry knows and understands children.
“Children should be 100% responsible for all of their choices and decisions by the time they are 12 years of age,” Joy Berry says. “In order for this to happen, parents need to encourage their children to make as many choices and decisions as possible as early in their lives as possible.”
Joy’s understanding of children and her pragmatic approach to educating and empowering children, has given rise to one of the most extensive juvenile product lines in the world.
Joy Berry, pioneering educator, trusted child-development and parenting specialist, is the bestselling author of Joy Berry Classics for children with more than 250 titles and 85 million copies of her books sold. Joy Berry’s lifelong mission is to help kids help themselves by providing the information and motivation children need to lead responsible lives. Simply put, Joy Berry knows and understands children.
“Children should be 100% responsible for all of their choices and decisions by the time they are 12 years of age,” Joy Berry says. “In order for this to happen, parents need to encourage their children to make as many choices and decisions as possible as early in their lives as possible.”
Joy’s understanding of children and her pragmatic approach to educating and empowering children, has given rise to one of the most extensive juvenile product lines in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 27, 2026
I have been looking for more books in this series because I read a few when I was younger and liked the art, plus I actually did find the information helpful (even if I didn't follow it, haha).
The odd ones I've been able to find since then have been a little less helpful, though not for lack of trying. Writing to Grandma is particularly outdated, since almost nobody corresponds through letter these days—even for invitations (one of the suggested types of correspondence covered in the book), let alone RSVP-ing to said invitations.
It also, unhelpfully, lacks the REASON to write to Grandma, besides being "gracious." There's a talking cow providing comedic relief, but there's no outright declaration that, for instance, "People like to receive letters from you to hear what's going on and to know that you're thinking about them" (why to write specifically to Grandma) or "People like being thanked, both to confirm that you received their gift and to feel appreciated for their generosity" (lest they decide to stop sending gifts because you aren't receiving them, you don't appreciate them, or both). Nope, the onus is on the young reader to glean this from reading the book, as though you should already know WHY to do it and here's how.
Helpfully, it DOES provide example letters for each situation where a young person might need to write a physical letter, and the templates are just as good for e-mail, which reduces the burden further by not needing the whole address, stamp, and envelope stuff for "snail mail."
On the whole, okay, but I would tweak it myself if I had the option. Probably wouldn't hurt to give to a (receptive) young reader, though!
The odd ones I've been able to find since then have been a little less helpful, though not for lack of trying. Writing to Grandma is particularly outdated, since almost nobody corresponds through letter these days—even for invitations (one of the suggested types of correspondence covered in the book), let alone RSVP-ing to said invitations.
It also, unhelpfully, lacks the REASON to write to Grandma, besides being "gracious." There's a talking cow providing comedic relief, but there's no outright declaration that, for instance, "People like to receive letters from you to hear what's going on and to know that you're thinking about them" (why to write specifically to Grandma) or "People like being thanked, both to confirm that you received their gift and to feel appreciated for their generosity" (lest they decide to stop sending gifts because you aren't receiving them, you don't appreciate them, or both). Nope, the onus is on the young reader to glean this from reading the book, as though you should already know WHY to do it and here's how.
Helpfully, it DOES provide example letters for each situation where a young person might need to write a physical letter, and the templates are just as good for e-mail, which reduces the burden further by not needing the whole address, stamp, and envelope stuff for "snail mail."
On the whole, okay, but I would tweak it myself if I had the option. Probably wouldn't hurt to give to a (receptive) young reader, though!
May 23, 2013
Such a great book for kids and adults to read together!! Joy Berry has a wonderful way of bringing things to a kids level to help them understand things better. Sometimes as an adult we forget kids see and process the world differently than us.
Beautifully illustrated to help kids pay attention while learning valuable life lessons!
This series is wonderful for any home or classroom! I want them for he community center where I work!! I am also thrilled they are being made available as ebooks!!
Beautifully illustrated to help kids pay attention while learning valuable life lessons!
This series is wonderful for any home or classroom! I want them for he community center where I work!! I am also thrilled they are being made available as ebooks!!
January 18, 2012
I came across this book while at the Goodwill on my lunch break. In 1984, it was probably a cute guide to writing letters for kids -- when to do it, what to include, that sort of thing. Now, it's quaint and obsolete, given how computers and such have changed the ways in which information is transmitted. But it's entertaining nonetheless.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews