Harrell Fletcher

November 6, 2018

Dear Mr. Pinkwater,

I just wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed your work over many years. I first encountered your stories on NPR in the early 1990’s and was blown away by their simple, humorous, beautiful humanity, then I ran across Fishwhistle and Chicago Days/Hoboken Nights and really loved both, after that I started slowly locating all of your children’s books and young adult novels. I shared the books with friends and they became big fans too. I found myself going back to them at times in which I was having hard life moments and they gave me relief and solace. Eventually, I had a daughter of my own. She is now eleven. I started her off early with readings from all of your kid books, she always wanted more so eventually I also read her your adult books too and she adored those as well. We just finished our second reading of Chicago Days/Hoboken Nights last night. Are there any new books on the horizon that we can look forward to reading?

Thanks so much for all of the happiness you have given me and my daughter,

Harrell (and Bea)

What a highly complimentary and pleasing note! I'm a very disciplined artist, and had a very strict education, and was taught to forget praise like this and get on to the next thing...but maybe I'll let your kind words resonate for a day or two. I have a little this and that recently published or scheduled, but I've been distracted for a couple of years with non-writing obligations and I'm just getting ready to start on new stuff. Meanwhile there are tons, (well, more than a hundred), of my books, mostly out of print, floating around, and you and your daughter may find some you like. I will try to come up with projects worthy of great readers like you.