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Dear Book Lovers, Welcome! I am delighted that you have found The Through the Looking Glass blog. For over twenty years I reviewed children's literature titles for my online journal, which came out six times a year. Every book review written for that publication can be found on the Through the Looking Glass website (the link is below). I am now moving in a different direction, though the columns that I write are still book-centric. Instead of writing reviews, I'm offering you columns on topics that have been inspired by wonderful books that I have read. I tell you about the books in question, and describe how they have have impacted me. This may sound peculiar to some of you, but the books that I tend to choose are ones that resonate with me on some level. Therefore, when I read the last page and close the covers, I am not quite the same person that I was when first I started reading the book. The shift in my perspective might be miniscule, but it is still there. The books I am looking are both about adult and children's titles. Some of the children's titles will appeal to adults, while others will not. Some of the adult titles will appeal to younger readers, particularly those who are eager to expand their horizons.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews - Book Sixty-Two

All too often real life does not live up to our expectations. Our imaginations conjures up situations that aren't very realistic, and we often feel disappointed that things did not turn out the way we hoped. In this picture book one little girl's dreams  and expectations are very grand and exciting, and what she gets in real life is a lot simpler.
The best family in the world
Susana Lopez
Illustrated by Ulises Wensell
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Kane Miller, 2008, 978-1-935279-47-1
The Best Family in the World   One morning the director of the orphanage tells Carlota that she has been adopted, and that her new family will be picking her up the very next day. Carlota is so excited that she cannot sleep. She imagines what her life will be like if her new family are pastry chefs, or pirates, or tiger trainers, or astronauts. In each case, her new family will be “the best family in the world.”
   In the morning, Mr. and Mrs. Perez come to the orphanage to collect Carlota. Mrs Perez is not a chef, nor is Mr. Perez a pirate. Carlota’s new brother is just an ordinary boy, and her new grandmother is a retired old lady and not a tiger trainer. Is her new everyday family going to be enough for Carlota?
   In this charming picture book, we meet a little orphaned girl who has big dreams about her future family. Though her real family is not as glamorous as the ones she conjures up in her imagination, they still are “the best family in the world,” because they show their love for her in many ways.
   With delightful illustrations and a warm message about hope and new beginnings, this is a picture book that children will greatly enjoy.
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