Dear Dragon

Due to an odd quirk of our automated library software, I discovered a previously unknown 1962 book by Sesyle Joslin entitled Dear Dragon...and Other Useful Letter Forms for Young Ladies and Gentlemen Engaged in Everyday Correspondence. Not only is it another wonderful addition to my epistolary books list, but it is filled with ironic situations that play out in the illustrations.

A business letter is crafted by a rich woman who discovers an ad for "lovely crocodile shoes" while reading the newspaper with her lorgnette (a word I learned). She politely requests two pairs a friend, and the accompanying illustration shows her crocodile friend wearing rather elegant shoes. A bread-and-butter-letter is composed by one friends after another takes her ballooning for the weekend...and drops her an an island with savage beasts where she is seen dropping a letter in a bottle. Other letters express congratulations, social situations, thanks, regret, apology, acceptance, and get-well wishes. The book concludes with a letter from the author herself bidding the reader adieu.

What a treat to find such a treasure to share with children!