The Secret Forest Friends — Kyoko Hara

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)