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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, November 30, 2012

Poetry Friday - A review of Mother Goose

When I was a little girl I had a large format hardback book that was full of Mother Goose nursery rhymes. I don't remember what it looked like, and unfortunately it was not one of the books that was saved. I do remember many of the rhymes though, and I was pleased to encounter many of my favorites in the book that I reviewed for today's poetry title.

Illustrated by sixteen Illustrators
Poetry Board Book
For ages 2 to 5
Groundwood Books, 2009, 978-0-88899-933-7
The Mother Goose rhymes are truly timeless. Countless children have listened to and enjoyed the nursery rhymes since the first collection – called Mother Goose’s Melody - was published in England in 1791 by John Newbery.
   Often Mother Goose books include a large number of rhymes that are accompanied by illustrations that were created by one artist. In this Mother Goose, there are fifteen of the popular rhymes, and each rhyme is complimented by artwork that was created by a different illustrator.  Each illustrator was free to choose how he or she wanted to interpret the rhymes.
  For the poem Round and Round the Garden, Debi Perna has created some delightful art where the text is punctuated by cunning little vignette illustrations. The poem Father and Mother and Uncle John comes next, and for this poem Barbara Reid has created a piece of clay art that is textured and that shows a deliciously funny scene.
   Later on in the book, Marie Louise Gay’s distinctive art is paired with the poem Hoddley, poddley, puddle and fogs. We see a picture of mice and rats playing musical instruments, and they are following a cat and poodle who are on their way to the alter. The scene is lit by moonlight and it is wonderfully festive.
   With its heavy duty board pages, its wonderful rhymes, and its splendid artwork, this is a book that children will enjoy exploring again and again.
   The artwork for this book was donated by the artists, and royalties from the title benefit the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program.

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