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“Liam loved to get mail. Too bad he never got any.” Faced with a perpetually empty mailbox, Liam realizes that maybe if he sent mail, he would receive mail. Unsure about whom to contact, he decides to write a letter to his mailbox. Happily, his mailbox responds by sending a fire-breathing dragon addressed to Liam. Encouraged, he writes again, and the mailbox answers with a parade of amazing things. A whale with wings, marked “Air Whale,” arrives. Pigs, pickles, a bone, a robot, a baseball, a book—Liam literally is buried in the mailbox’s largesse! Faced with an excess of interesting items, Liam and his friend Jamel start mailing things to kids all over the world. Full of wordplay and visual jokes, this imaginative fantasy takes a child’s wish seriously and then humorously explores it to extreme fulfillment. The scratchy, cartoonish illustrations, rendered in pencil and watercolor, include typed text, speech bubbles, decorated envelopes, and written letters to present a visually appealing and entertaining epistolary adventure. The playful message about generosity doesn’t hurt either. — Lucinda Whitehurst (Booklist May 15, 2016)
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 Story times and classroom units on community helpers will be enlivened by a read-aloud of this selection. (School Library Journal June 1, 2016)
“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. Storytimes and classroom units on community helpers will be enlivened by a read-aloud of this selection.” (School Library Journal )
“Full of wordplay and visual jokes, this imaginative fantasy takes a child’s wish seriously and then humorously explores it to extreme fulfillment.” (Booklist )
Sending mail to…amailbox? Clever! Like all kids, Liam loves getting mail. Like most kids in theusual course of things, he doesn't get any. To fix this, the freckle-faced,boot-clad tyke decides to write—not to himself (a surprise twist, though somereaders will wonder why this solution doesn't dawn on him)—but to his pitifullyempty mailbox. Doing so yields much more than Liam bargained for: accompaniedby rattling and mad cacophony, the mailbox produces a kindly dragon! Thrilledby this amazing result, Liam continues his very polite entreaties. And does themailbox ever deliver for him: items beyond Liam's wildest imaginings emergeuntil a literal flood makes him realize he needs to share his considerablebounty with mail-starved kids everywhere. In the end, Liam discovers sending'sbetter than receiving. But he does hang on to that dragon—and a horse hisAfrican-American best pal, Jamel, has taken a shine to. This cute but thinstory will encourage kids to think about sharing and how to increase their ownmail intake; there's the added benefit of subtle, courteousfriendly-letter-writing tips. The colored-pencil illustrations are lively,humorous, and child-appealing. Liam is white; the several depicted recipientsof his largesse are nicely (and in the case of the extraterrestrial, extremely)multicultural. Surprisingly, no snails included. Still, more fun than bills andjunk mail. (Picture book. 4-8) (Kirkus Reviews 4/1/16)
Liam,a wide-eyed, freckle-faced kid with brushy hair, wishes for more mail. Hewrites a letter to his mailbox: “I would like to get something in the mail.Something big! Please! Love, Liam.” The results are spectacular. “When Liamlooked 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 WesCargo!”). Clanton’s story shapes up like a Sorcerer’s Apprentice–typetale that will end badly, but Liam generously distributes his mailbox wealth toother children, who are delighted. In keeping with the postal theme, Clanton (SomethingExtraordinary) draws on postcards, envelopes, and writing paper, hisbig-eyed, amiable creatures assuring readers that everything’s under control.In this genial twist on a fable of greed, Liam receives everything he wants andbecomes a better person for it—and he gets to keep his dragon, too. Ages 4–8. (Publishers Weekly March 21, 2016)
"Lively, humorous, and child-appealing." (Kirkus Reviews )
"[A] genial twist on a fable of greed." (Publishers Weekly )
Review
Sending mail to…amailbox? Clever! Like all kids, Liam loves getting mail. Like most kids in theusual course of things, he doesn't get any. To fix this, the freckle faced,boot clad tyke decides to write—not to himself (a surprise twist, though somereaders will wonder why this solution doesn't dawn on him)—but to his pitifullyempty mailbox. Doing so yields much more than Liam bargained for: accompaniedby rattling and mad cacophony, the mailbox produces a kindly dragon! Thrilledby this amazing result, Liam continues his very polite entreaties. And does themailbox ever deliver for him: items beyond Liam's wildest imaginings emergeuntil a literal flood makes him realize he needs to share his considerablebounty with mail starved kids everywhere. In the end, Liam discovers sending'sbetter than receiving. But he does hang on to that dragon—and a horse hisAfrican American best pal, Jamel, has taken a shine to. This cute but thinstory will encourage kids to think about sharing and how to increase their ownmail intake; there's the added benefit of subtle, courteousfriendly letter writing tips. The colored pencil illustrations are lively,humorous, and child appealing. Liam is white; the several depicted recipientsof his largesse are nicely (and in the case of the extraterrestrial, extremely)multicultural. Surprisingly, no snails included. Still, more fun than bills andjunk mail. (Picture book. 4 8) (Kirkus Reviews 4/1/16)
Liam,a wide eyed, freckle faced kid with brushy hair, wishes for more mail. Hewrites a letter to his mailbox: “I would like to get something in the mail.Something big! Please! Love, Liam.” The results are spectacular. “When Liamlooked 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 WesCargo!”). Clanton’s story shapes up like a Sorcerer’s Apprentice–typetale that will end badly, but Liam generously distributes his mailbox wealth toother children, who are delighted. In keeping with the postal theme, Clanton (SomethingExtraordinary) draws on postcards, envelopes, and writing paper, hisbig eyed, amiable creatures assuring readers that everything’s under control.In this genial twist on a fable of greed, Liam receives everything he wants andbecomes a better person for it—and he gets to keep his dragon, too. Ages 4–8. (Publishers Weekly March 21, 2016)
"Lively, humorous, and child appealing." (Kirkus Reviews )
"[A] genial twist on a fable of greed." (Publishers Weekly )
“Liam loved to get mail. Too bad he never got any.” Faced with a perpetually empty mailbox, Liam realizes that maybe if he sent mail, he would receive mail. Unsure about whom to contact, he decides to write a letter to his mailbox. Happily, his mailbox responds by sending a fire breathing dragon addressed to Liam. Encouraged, he writes again, and the mailbox answers with a parade of amazing things. A whale with wings, marked “Air Whale,” arrives. Pigs, pickles, a bone, a robot, a baseball, a book—Liam literally is buried in the mailbox’s largesse! Faced with an excess of interesting items, Liam and his friend Jamel start mailing things to kids all over the world. Full of wordplay and visual jokes, this imaginative fantasy takes a child’s wish seriously and then humorously explores it to extreme fulfillment. The scratchy, cartoonish illustrations, rendered in pencil and watercolor, include typed text, speech bubbles, decorated envelopes, and written letters to present a visually appealing and entertaining epistolary adventure. The playful message about generosity doesn’t hurt either. — Lucinda Whitehurst (Booklist May 15, 2016)
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 Story times and classroom units on community helpers will be enlivened by a read aloud of this selection. (School Library Journal June 1, 2016)
“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. Storytimes and classroom units on community helpers will be enlivened by a read aloud of this selection.” (School Library Journal )
“Full of wordplay and visual jokes, this imaginative fantasy takes a child’s wish seriously and then humorously explores it to extreme fulfillment.” (Booklist )
"The wish fulfillment plot will appeal to kids." (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books )
Liam loves to get mail, or he would love it, if he ever received any. In a moment of inspiration, he sends a letter to his mailbox, asking it to send him “something BIG!” The mailbox delivers and in grand fashion: when Liam opens the box, he is singed by the fiery breath of the friendly dragon inside. When Liam sends ad ditional requests for mail, he is inundated with a flood of crazy deliveries (pickles, pigs, a funny bone, a flying whale) by his obliging mailbox. The outpouring gets to be overwhelming, though, so Liam enlists the mailbox’s help in spreading the love; as Liam stuffs various items back into the box, they are then sent to other kids’ mailboxes, resulting in the sharing of joy. The simple text plays the story straight, but illustrative speech bubbles and sound effects (“TOOT! WHIRR! WINK SQUIBBLE WIBBLE WHOOP!”) emphasize the humor, as does the old school draftsmanship that’s just this side of cartoonish. Photographic images of envelopes and postcards, incorporated into the backgrounds of many scenes, add interest, and the dragon arrival page is cleverly punctuated by realistic looking burnt spots. The wish fulfillment plot will appeal to kids and could be used to liven up a mail themed storytime, to rekindle interest in a letter writing lesson, or to spark some creative writing. (Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books July/August 2016)
About the Author
Ben Clanton is an author and illustrator whose books include It Came in the Mail; Something Extraordinary; Rex Wrecks It!; Mo’s Mustache; The Table Sets Itself; Vote for Me!; Rot, the Cutest in the World!; and Rot, the Bravest in the World!. He lives with his wife and son in Seattle, Washington. Learn more at BenClanton.com.
From School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 1—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 --This text refers to the hardcover edition. 
![It Came in the Mail by [Ben Clanton]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/516H6PnBTnL._SX260_.jpg)
