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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.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Poetry Friday - A review of Weird? (Me, too!) Let’s be Friends

Today's Poetry Friday title is different because it is not just a collection of poems (excellent ones), but it is also full of notes to help young readers think about their world in new ways, and to explore their experiences by writing their own poetry. This is a great title for young people who are learning the 'rules' of friendship, and who are going through the early stages of adolescence. 

Sara Holbrook
Illustrated by Karen Sandstrom
Poetry
For ages 9 to 11
Boyds Mills Press, 2011, 978-1-59078-821-9
   Friendships are often full of ups and downs. People who seem very unalike discover that they actually have a lot in common, and they come to the conclusion that they would like to be friends. They would like to share the good times and the bad, “hang in / through trips and tears.”
   In this thought provoking book, poet Sara Holbrook explores friendship and several fundamental life experiences in a creative way. Her poems explore the fact that people need someone to support them when “storm clouds start to grumble” and when they are trying to deal with uncertainty and change.
   Of course, there are also those times when friends are unkind to one another, when they fight, and when they let each other down. When harsh and painful words are said, we are reminded not to “stay mad forever.” We are cautioned that secrets are precious, they are confidences that we have been given in trust.
   In this unique collection of poems, Sara Holbrook addresses issues that affect young people all over the world every day, and she does so with humor and sensitivity. In addition, she includes prompts and thoughts on most of the pages in the book to encourage her readers to discuss the ideas and to explore the concepts using poetry. Several of the poems are for two or more voices, which makes this book a perfect title to look through with friends. 

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