After receiving bookmarks in the mail from Irene Watts last week, my daughter decided more fan letters were in order. This is what she sent off to Annie Barrows. I’m particularly in love with the paragraph structure, personally.
Dear Annie Barrows.
I love your Ivy and Bean books.
My favourite character is Ivy.
I am just like her.
I love to read.
I love face paint.
And I always read big books.
At school I am writing a novel.
I am six years old.
I am from Vancouver Canada.
How old are you?
Why did you chose the names Ivy and Bean?
I got one of those Ivy and Bean books for Fiona, but it didn’t catch on. We are still reading the g-d fairy books. Which are endless in number, but still never manage to fit in any kind of character development, plot, or motive. If Daisy Meadows existed, I would drop her entire collection on her one by one.
I like your prodigy’s letter. We are supposed to be composing one in our household to find out why there are no boy fairies. I am scared to get on DM’s mailing list though, so I have been procrastinating.
Just clicked the link. Had not made the connection that Barrows was also the writer of the Guernsey book that I read and greatly enjoyed on this blog’s recommendation. Will have to try harder with another Ivy and Bean book, to push my literary tastes down Fiona’s throat.
You know, it’s making my throat close to recommend anything Disney, but I found the Disney fairy books (Beck and the Great Berry Battle, etc., etc.) more palatable than Rainbow Magic. They might be worth a try…
I had NO IDEA that was the same Annie Barrows! I’m not sure I can like her anymore. I mean, there’s talented and then there’s TOO talented.
I think it’s too late with the fairies – even Westie likes them. Plus, while they have some motives in the Disney fairy books, the motives are usually petty, shallow and vain. While I still can’t tell Kirsty and what’s-her-pickle apart after 30 books, at least they always trying to help, and speak nicely to each other. We have also discovered a Geronimo Stilton, which is my saviour. I hope he has more than one plot for the next book. Since I have no personal literary illusions, I can still like Annie Barrows. Funny that you hadn’t made that connection. Did you not try clicking the link before you added it to your blog? That could be dangerous actually.
I had visited the website, yes. And apparently I am such a huge fan of Ivy and Bean that I completely failed to scan the covers of the other books!
Where did your daughter send her letter? I have many fans in my classroom and want to send on their letters, but can’t find an address anywhere!
It was a few years ago, but I’ll email you with the address she used. Good luck!
Hello! I am Casey, I’m 12. I am really interested in your books and I did a book report on one of your books and I would really appreciate if you could somehow read it. I am from Montana, by the way. I want to send the letter but I can’t find your address anywhere…can you somehow get me your email? I could send it to you!