Dear Dragon . . . and Other Useful Letter Forms for Young Ladies and Gentlemen Engaged in Everyday Correspondence

by Sesyle Joslin, Irene Haas (Illustrator)

Genres: Picture Books

48 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1962

About the author

Sesyle Joslin is a children's literature author. Joslin's book What Do You Say, Dear? was illustrated by Maurice Sendak and it was a Caldecott Medal Honor book in 1959.

Joslin was born in Providence, RI, on August 30, 1929. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, she worked as an editorial assistant and assistant editor in Philadelphia, and was the book columnist at Country Gentleman magazine from 1949 through 1951. In 1950, she married writer Al Hine. The couple had three children. In addition, she served as a production assistant on Peter Brook's Lord of the Flies (1963 film) and worked on location in Puerto Rico.

In addition to writing under her own name, Joslin also used a few pseudonyms. Under the name Josephine Gibson, she and her husband wrote Is There a Mouse in the House? (Macmillan, 1965). And under the name G. B. Kirtland they wrote One Day in Ancient Rome (Harcourt, 1961), One Day in Elizabethan England (Harcourt, 1962), and One Day in Aztec Mexico (Harcourt, 1963).

Reviews

[Micha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Sesyle Joslin proves she to be Miss Manner's more effective, amazing sister! This book is fantastic for teaching children the importance of good manners or just making each other laugh.

[Fred Conrad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost gave it five stars. The illustrations are very playful.

[Debi Cates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my! How funny! Never mind that no one writes and mails letters any more, the stories and comical illustrations should tickle the heart of any child.

My favorite was

"Your friend the balloonist has invited you up for the weekend. You spend your time bird-watching and having high tea, and it is all very pleasant. When the weekend is over, the balloonist drops you off. Unfortunately, you land on a desert island full of rather strange beasts.

Whereupon you pick up your pen, and this is what you write:

Dear Balloonist:

Thank you for the delightful weekend. I had a very lovely time.

Affectionately yours,"

LOL. Ah, the 60s, back when we still were striving to save a polite civilization even if stranded on a desert island. This book was an imaginative and humorous effort to teach children how to actually compose all kinds of letters.

I picked this up from a Free Little Library today; it came from our own local library. (Wouldn't I just love to have all their old 60s kids books, to inundate myself with the joy in them!!) I'm sending this one off to a friend in Idaho, for one of her granddaughters who actually looks a little like the girl on the cover. If the granddaughter doesn't enjoy it, my friend certainly will.

[Lara Lleverino · Rating 4 out of 5]

So funny