The Secret Forest Friends

For quiet excitement, having secret friends in the forest is hard to beat.

Summer arrives, and once again Mayu comes to the forest near her grandparents’ house.
The mailbox is still there. Mayu and Konta, a young fox, write letters to each other and explore the forest together. Mayu keeps this mystery forest friend a secret. But one day while they are playing in the forest, something terrible happens to her. For the first time, Konta decides to go out of the forest to call for help for Mayu . . . The second book from the acclaimed Forest Friends series, Hara pens a sweet story of magically everyday life and an unexpected friendship. Takahashi’s illustrations switch between full color and grayscale, adding playfulness and whimsy. “A charming story of everyday life with a hint of magic.” —Kirkus STARRED Review for The Mailbox in the Forest (book 1)

Kazue Takahashi made her debut as a picture-book author with beloved Kuma-Kuma Chan, The Little Bear in 2001. Her picture books include Risu denwa (The Squirrel Telephone System) and Ne, ohanashi kikasete (Read Me a Story, story with Kyoko Hara). Takahashi’s illustrations embody kawaii—the quality of being cute and adorable, which is prominent in Japanese popular culture. Kyoko Hara was born in Tokyo and graduated from Wako University with a degree in art. In 1978 she won the Kodansha Children's Literature Prize in the KFS Contest. Among her many titles are Haru ni aeta yo (We Met Spring) and Kuma no Bear to chiisana Tatan (Kuma the Bear and Tiny Tatan) series. When she was a child, she wanted to become a fashion designer and did not like writing at all.