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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, May 26, 2011

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book one hundred and forty-six

I used to think that the main purpose of picture books is to entertain children. I now know better. They also help children to see how beautiful the written word can be. They convey important messages that children need to hear. They tell stories about people, times, and places.

Since I started this picture book celebration, I have reviewed all kinds of picture books, many of which make the reader stop and think. Today's picture book is more light hearted. It explores the way a witch tries to solve a puzzling problem, and it is funny!



Korky Paul and Valerie Thomas
Picture Book
Ages 4 to 8
HarperCollins, 2007, 978-0061173127
   Winnie is a witch with a fondness for the color black. In fact she likes it so much that her entire house is black inside and out. In addition, Winnie’s cat Wilbur is also black, which is not surprising when one considers that he is a witch’s cat. Winnie can see Wilbur in her house when he has his lovely green eyes open, but when he dozes off, which is something cats do a lot, then Winnie can’t see him at all because he blends in perfectly with her very black house. Winnie ends up sitting on Wilbur, and tripping over him again and again, until she finally gets fed up. With a wave of her wand Winnie turns Wilbur from a black cat into a bright green cat.
   This new state of affairs works very well until Wilbur goes outside for a breath of fresh air. On the grass, Wilbur becomes invisible, and once again he trips up his mistress who ends up in a very prickly rose bush. Clearly Winnie is going to have to come up with another solution.
   A delightful tale with very amusing and highly detailed multimedia illustrations, this story is sure to entertain the young and the not-so-young with its simple story and droll characters.

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