Introducing a sweet winter tale to remind us that one small, kind act, can lead to a snowball effect of love~ featured in the MaiStoryBook Library Collection:

“The Love Letter” by Anika Aldamuy Denise and Lucy Ruth Cummins

*~Click here to purchase your own copy of *The Love Letter* to start on your own reading adventure! (This is an affiliate link~ 5% of your purchase will go to MaiStoryBook to help create Reading Resources for your littles)~*

Book Synopsis and Review

Hedgehog, Bunny, and Squirrel are woodland besties. One day, they each find a letter~ but it’s not just any letter. It’s a love letter! Upon reading the kind words of love, each animal friend is affected in a special way. Prickly moods and anxieties turn to cheerfulness and helpfulness. Follow along as a small letter of love leads to a *snowball effect* of kindness. But whom is this love letter from? Each friend has an idea who the giver may be, but the answer will surprise you! This is a sweet winter tale of a *lovely* little mix-up, and the power of even the simplest acts of love.

If you and your littles ever need a gentle reminder of the magic that a little bit of kindness can bring, “The Love Letter” is the perfect read aloud. The adorable woodland creatures, the pastel illustrations, and the cool, frosty wintery setting create a cozy mood as you follow each character through their chain reactions of kindness upon finding and reading their special *love* letter. Littles will explore how love manifests in different ways~ different people show they care in different ways~ and when one person shows kindness, others are sure to follow in their footsteps. Encourage your child to realize that they have the power to influence the world around them through their own actions and words, because even if you only personally affect one person in a positive way, that one person will turn into many as each person shares a little bit of the love that was shared with them.

Vocabulary

• frazzled (p. 2) tired, worn out, uncomfortable
• unusual (p. 3) something that doesn’t happen a lot, strange, out of the ordinary
• oddly (p. 7) strangely
• anxious (p. 19) feeling worried, funny feeling in your stomach, not sure about something
• snatching (p. 26) grabbing, taking without asking

Themes/ Main Ideas

• One small act of love can have a *snowball effect.* It only takes one person to start a chain reaction of kindness.
• Friendship is precious. Friends share joy, safety, comfort, and love.

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example

Example of a shared-reading, interactive Read Aloud of “The Cool Bean” – how to subtly introduce the vocabulary list words within the text, ask guided questions, and spark conversation!

*~Check it Out~*

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*Share Your Love* Letter Craftivity

After a 3 week winter break, as mai 3rd graders and I settle back into our school day routine, reminders of how to treat and speak to each other are a necessity. Anger breeds hurtful words and actions~ Kindness breeds loving words and caring actions. It’s important for littles to understand that their words and actions have consequences on others- and not just on the one person they directly engage with, but on all the others that one person interacts with next. Love and kindness, as does anger and harm, have a *snowball effect.* How one person is treated, can affect how they treat the others around them. First, I try to teach my 3rd graders to understand this chain reaction of events~ reading aloud children’s books illustrating this point is perfect to help them see and visualize how this works. Then, I encourage them to try their own acts of kindness, and trust that what one small act they do, can lead to great acts of love reaching far beyond them. What a power to have! One way we will practice as a class to share some love, is through our writing. If you are also looking for a way to help your littles jumpstart a chain reaction of love this Valentine’s season~ or any time of the year!~ check out MaiStoryBook’s *Share Your Love* Letter Craftivity down below!

Materials

• Downloadable *Share Your Love* Letter Template
• Glue/ Tape
• Scissors
• Colors/ crayons/ markers/ colored pencils
• pencil/ pen

Directions

• Download the *Share Your Love * Letter Template and choose a Animal Character template: bunny, hedgehog, or squirrel.
• There are colored and black and white versions. 
• If you chose the black and white version, color it in.
• Cut it out.

• Next, choose an “Envelope Template” for the front and the back side. There are color and black and white versions.
• *You will print the front and back double sided**
• Front options show what will be on the inside of the envelope: Blank inside, picture-only inside, storybook template inside, text-only inside, picture and text inside.  
• Back options show what will be on the outside of the envelope facing front when it is folded: Blank, “I show love when I…”, “I Love You Because…”, “Dear Friend,” “Friend, “ “Dear Mom, “ “Dear Dad,” “Dear ______” or “Happy Valentines Day”
• Print the front and back double sided and then cut out the envelope. If you chose black and white color it in.

• Fill in the inside part of the envelope by either filling in the template, writing your own letter, or drawing a picture. 
• To fold, have the ”front” side of the envelope facing you (the inside part should be facing you), and then fold up the bottom part of the letter at the crease, and fold down the top flap at the crease so it is “Sealed” like a letter.

• Next, cut out the paws that correspond with your animal. Glue them to the right and left sides of the envelope (the folded up flap)
• Then, glue the top edge of the envelope (the top flap is still folded down) to the bottom edge of your animal character so that it appears the animal is holding the letter below its face. 
• To reveal what is inside the letter, life the top flap of the envelope and fold the bottom flap down. 

Enjoy Your *Share Your Love* Letter Craftivity!

• Use your Love Letter Craftivity to share words of love and kindness with a loved one.
• Use your craft to inspire you to use kind words with friend and family.
• Create a craft for a friend on Valentine’s Day or any day of the year!
• Use your craft as a reading buddy, and follow along the story, reading your own letter when the animals read the love letter in the book.
• Display the Love Letter Craftivity to share love and kindness with others, and remind others to choose kindness.

*~Overall, I hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day, and enjoy sharing your *Share Your Love* Letter Craftivity to start a snowball effect of love and kindness – tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary, Twitter @MaiStoryBook  – or post on FaceBook to share your photos of your own *Love Letter* Crafts, and your own reading adventures! I’d love to hear from you!~*

*~Until next time, Happy Reading~*