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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.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book two hundred and forty-two

I used to live in a part of the world where they have two seasons: summer and not summer. Now I get to enjoy four seasons, and I love all of them. I also love books that explore the seasons in interesting ways. Today's book is just such a title.

Anna Crausaz
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 6
Kane/Miller, 2010, 978-1-61067-006-7
   Everything is green outside, and the little girl knows that it must be springtime. She can smell blossoms and the green grass, and she can hear the blackbirds “singing about their favorite season.”
   When she sees fireflies sitting on the plants and sending their little messages of light into the night, the little girl knows that summer has arrived. There are tomatoes to gather and she can smell the basil, verbena, and mint plants. At the beach she plays in the sand and she thinks that “Sometimes summer is the taste of sand in your mouth!”
   Autumn has come, and little ants are getting lifts on dandelion seed parachutes that are carried on the breeze. The forest “smells of moss, mushrooms and wet ground,” and the little girl plays in the fallen leaves.
   In winter the little girl loves to smell the wood fire smoke. She listens to the “silence of the snow” and tastes snowflakes on her tongue.
   In this book, Anna Crausaz pairs her truly lovely illustrations with a simple lyrical text that captures the sounds, smells, sights, and tastes of spring, summer, fall, and winter. The simplicity of the art and text combine to give the reader a reading experience that is beautiful and sensory.

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