Mailboxes are filling up with holiday cards, and thank-you notes will soon be joining them, both of which show the enduring power of a physical letter. During their break from school, encourage your kids to write another meaningful letter: one to their favorite author praising the books they love.

I’ve held on to a yellowed, typewritten response from an author I received decades ago after an elementary-school project. It’s a treasure still.

Everyone in class sent a letter. Mine went to James Howe in praise of his vampire-bunny story Bunnicula. I was in love with the cleverness of a vampire rabbit who sucked the juice from vegetables rather than blood from victims. I must’ve told him I liked writing stories, too. He told me to keep it up.

There are many digital ways to connect with writers, but the handwritten letter is a particularly good option for kids because they don’t need to be on social media to do it. My teacher received the incoming letters at the school, which might be an option for parents who don’t want to share their home address.

What should a young reader say in a letter?

Keep it simple and be specific. They can mention a favorite character and what they love about them or describe a moment when the action was so vivid that they read late into the night. They should show engagement with the world the author put on the page or the language that brought that world to life. And have them say a little something about themself.

How do you reach an author?

Check their website or social media for a street address or P.O. box. If you can’t find anything, send the letter to their publisher, who will pass it on. (Even better, send it care of their agent, if you can find out who that is.)

Sometimes, authors partner with a bookstore near them, and this can be another way to get in touch. Lelia Nebeker of One More Page Books in Arlington, Virginia, says, “If you know an author has a ‘home base’ bookstore that has signed copies of their books year-round, you might try that.”

Her shop has done this for a few children’s authors over the years, including Wendy Wan-Long Shang and Madelyn Rosenberg. This is a backup option, though. Nebeker admits that she has received letters and “sometimes they sit around for months until we see the author in question. And some stores might not be as open to the idea of passing them along.”

Will every author write back?

Responsiveness will vary by author, how established they are, and their personal preferences. Some have gone all-in on social media and love a digital note, while others still covet holding a paper letter in their hands.

If they do write back, share the joy, and maybe you’ll inspire others! I remember a copy of my long-ago letter from James Howe being stapled onto the back cover of Bunnicula in the school library.

Reaching out to an author and expressing why they’re a favorite is a wonderful way to give kids ownership of their judgment as readers. It also makes authors seem like real people and can further encourage kids’ love of the written word.

And who knows? Your young letter-writer might get a response they’ll cherish for a lifetime!

Brad Scriber is a freelance writer in Arlington, Virginia.