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Have you ever received a letter from an admirer? It makes you feel happy, doesn’t it? Excited even...if it’s someone you actually want to be interested in you. If it’s not, you might feel a little annoyed. You might send a letter back politely saying that you’re not interested, or you might ignore the note. But what if the person doesn’t listen and continues sending letters? Welcome to Xo, Ox: A Love Story. Xo, Ox: A Love Story, written by local author Adam Rex and illustrated by Scott Campbell, is a story about hapless, adoring Ox’s interest in beautiful, yet narcissistic, Gazelle, told in the form of letters between the two of them. Ox begins: “Dear Gazelle, For some time now I have wanted to write a letter to say how much I admire you.” And so the rocky road of love and heartache begins for Ox and Gazelle. Even two form letters from Gazelle do not deter determined Ox. In fact, instead of being put off, he compliments her on how she used the exact same amount of words in both letters. He thinks she is brilliant! When Gazelle insults him, he thanks her for wanting him to be the best ox he can. Next, she says she will not write to him anymore. Ah, what a lovely sense of humor, he thinks! Finally, Gazelle has had enough! In a frenzy of frustration, she writes: “Ox! Stop this! Please do not write me again. You are wasting your time. I could never love a clumsy thing. I could never love a smelly thing. I could never love an animal that is too large, and too stout, and who is… so thick and ungraceful and awful and unlovely. And unlovable. I could never, ever love an ox.” All this does is make Ox love Gazelle more. But when she receives his next letter, she rips it up and throws it on the floor in shreds. The story ends with a cliff-hanger, and the reader is left contemplating whether Gazelle has had a change of heart. If you have a child interested in dramas, romances, or comedies, Xo, Ox: A Love Story would be a perfect choice. It would also make an excellent read for Valentine’s Day. --Olivia, a PCPL Virtual Volunteer