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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.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book one hundred and fifty-five

These days many people seem to spend their lives running from place to place so fast that they forget why they started running in the first place. They get distracted by the noise and bustle around them. Today's picture book is about a bear who has a similar experience. It is only when something goes wrong that he finally remembers what his initial goal was.

Addis Berner Bear ForgetsAddis Berner Bear Forgets
Joel Stewart
Picture book
For ages 4 to 7
Random House UK, 2008, 978-0-385-61004-9
   Addis Berner Bear arrives in the city in winter. It is cold and snowy and he is very confused by the hustle and bustle of the city. Everything is so big, “so loud and fast,” that Addis Berner Bear quite forgets his old life, and he also forgets why he came to the city in the first place.
   As he wanders through the city seeing extraordinary things and meeting all kinds of people, Addis Berner Bear discovers that he isn’t the only one who cannot remember why he came to the city. There are many other people around who are in a similar situation.
   Then something truly terrible happens. Two wicked men steal Addis Berner Bear’s trumpet. Addis Berner Bear is heartbroken at his loss, which is when help arrives.
   Young children will be fascinated by this story of a bear who gets lost, and who quite by accident finds the answer to his biggest question. With beautiful illustrations and a stunningly simple and lyrical text, this is a story that children will want to come back to again and again.

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