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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.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and fifty-two

Today's picture book is out of print, but I was so charmed by it that I decided to review it anyway. You can still purchase it on Amazon and I am sure there are copies floating about in other bookstores and at your local library.

The reason why I wanted to share this book with you is that it really is a charmer. It celebrates the connection between siblings and shows us how precious our happy memories can be, especially if we can share them with others.

The Lemon Sisters
The lemon sisters
Andrea Cheng
Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Penguin, 2006, 0-399-24023-3
   One morning, an old lady wakes up and she knows immediately that it has snowed during the night. She looks outside, and sees three girls playing in the snow. Seeing them playing and interacting, the old lady remembers the times when she and her two sisters, Rita and Mae, used to play in the snow. She watches as the three girls pretend to make oatmeal on a pretend snow stove in a pretend snow pot. The old lady then remembers how she and her sisters made “real lemon ices” when they were girls by mixing snow with lemon juice and sugar.
   The old lady gives the three girls some lemons and sugar and watches as they make their own lemon ices. Sadly she thinks about her sisters, both of whom live so far away. What makes her loneliness even harder to bear is that today is her birthday, and she has no one to celebrate with. Or at least that’s what she thinks.
   In this heart-warming picture book, Andrea Cheng celebrates the close bond that connects siblings. She shows her readers how three elderly sisters never stop loving one another, and how three little girls are able to enrich the lives of the three sisters in a wonderful way.

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