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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.

Monday, September 26, 2011

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book two hundred and sixty-nine

Many of us have wishes that we wish would come true. We drop pennies into wells, wish on rainbows and on the first star that we see in the evening, and we hope that we will find the lucky coin in the Christmas pudding. Most of the time our wishes don't come true, but every so often they do.

In today's picture book you will meet two little children who really do need to have a few of their wishes granted,  and you will meet a cat who likes nothing better than to grant wishes.


Emma Chichester Clark
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Andersen Press, 2006, 978-1842705926
   Mr. Zooty is a rather extraordinary cat who goes around looking “for people to help out.” One day he is in the park when he sees two small children who are trying to catch falling leaves “for luck.” The children, Sam and Lucy, take the three leaves that they catch to their mother, who praises the children saying “We could do with some luck.”
   When he hears this, Mr. Zooty gets to work. He takes a shabby coat out of his red suitcase and pretends to be a poor elderly cat who is down on his luck. Though they don’t have any pennies to spare, Lucy does not hesitate to give Mr. Zooty the three lucky leaves, and when he collapses, Lucy, Sam, and their mother take the cat home. After all, “everybody needs a little help sometimes.” Little do they know that Mr. Zooty is going to return their kindnesses in many wonderful ways.
   Every so often one needs to read a feel-good book, and this picture book is just that. Children will be delighted to see how Mr. Zooty helps the two children and their mother, and they will love the delightfully unique way in which the cat grants wishes.

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