Welcome!

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, January 1, 2012

The new issue of Through the Looking Glass is now online

Happy New Year! The January and February 2012 issue of Through the Looking Glass Children’s Book Reviews is now online. I have put together a wonderful collection of reviews for you for this issue, and I hope you enjoy reading the reviews as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

For this issue I have decided to review books that feature mice and rats. I know many adults have an aversion to these animals, but young readers all over the world love stories where the main characters are mice or rats. For generations Beatrix Potter has charmed us with her story of Hunca Munca and Tom Thumb, the two bad mice who raid a little girl's doll house. Then there are the mice who live in Brambley Hedge, Angelina Ballerina, and Maisy. I am also very fond of the Mouse and Mole books by Wong Herbert Yee, and the adventures of Babymouse. As for rats, well Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh is one of favorite books, and where would the stories of Redwall be if brave Martin the Warrior (a mouse) didn't have ferocious sea rats to vanquish.

Where I live, January and February are the coldest months of the year. Winter has a tight hold on the land, and crackling fires in the fireplace are welcome. This is the perfect time of year to read lots of books, and you might find that some of these seasonal wintery books hit the spot. If you live in a place where snow falls, then these Snowy Days books will be a perfect fit. If you don't get snow in your region, then you might enjoy being able to enjoy snow through the pages of a good book.

For this month's Editor's Choice title, I have selected The Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah and Kelly DiPucchio. This meaningful picture book explores the idea that the first step to tolerance is having an open mind.

Don't forget to look at the new Bookish Calendar. Here you will find reviews about Paul Cezanne, Valentine's Day, Buffalo Bill, the discovery of gold in California in 1848, and much more. This calendar is a great tool to use at home and in the classroom to help children incorporate books more fully into their lives.

There are several bookish events taking place in February that I would like to tell you about. They are:

·        February is National Black History Month - Find reviews that suit this event here.
·        February is Library Lover's Month - Find reviews of books about libraries here.

I hope you find a way to celebrate some, if not all,  of these bookish events. If I have missed an important bookish event, please drop me a line to tell me about it.

Last year I posted a review of a picture book for 365 days. This year I will be posting new picture book reviews on Mondays, new fiction reviews for younger readers (under the age of 12) on Wednesdays, and poetry book reviews on Fridays. Of course, I will also post interviews, book announcements, and other bookish articles as well. 

I hope you enjoy this new issue, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Posted by at
Labels:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
Bookmark and Share