Dear Santa, The Letters of James B. Dobbins

Today’s Christmas picture book was written by Bill Harley and illustrated by R.W. Alley. Dear Santa, The Letters of James B. Dobbins is a story told through letters to Santa.

The main character, James/Jimmy, has a big Christmas list and needs to convince Santa that he has been good all year (despite a few unfortunate events). Bill Harley brings a great voice to the main character through these letters. In the beginning the letters are formal, but in the end Jimmy and Santa are best buds. The illustrations are entertaining and paint the true picture of the naughty incidents that have occurred during the past year.

There are a few other picture books told through letters or postcards. It's a fun way to get into the voice of a character and can even be a fun writing exercise, whether or not you plan to write a story this way.