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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, May 10, 2013

Poetry Friday - A review of Face Bug

Imagine what it would be like to go to a museum where they were displaying a series of photos showing the faces of insects and spiders. If one were an insect or spider this would be like going to a portrait gallery. Today's book combines poetry and art to take readers into The Face Bug Museum, and it is quite a trip.

Face BugFace Bug
J. Patrick Lewis
Illustrations by Kelly Murphy
Photographs by Frederic B. Siskind
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 6 to 10
Boyds Mills Press, 2013, 978-1-59078-925-4
Come one, come all! The Face Bug Museum is open, and insects, spiders, and their guests are invited to take a look at the photographs that is on display. The photographers who took the pictures feel that “you never really know bugs till you look them in the eye,” which is why all the photographs focus on the heads and faces of insects and spiders. Bring your camera and be prepared to be amazed, and perhaps even shocked. Don’t worry if the faces make you feel faint. Tiny Vet is “standing by” to treat anyone who gets the heebie geebies.
   We begin with the Hickory Horned Devil, which is the larva of a moth. The creature in the photo looks like a cross between a porcupine and a “Country-colored coral reef,” and it is certainly scary, but in reality this caterpillar is a gentle creature and the only living thing that needs fear it are the leaves it snacks on.
   In the next photo we see the head of an Eastern Carpenter Bee. Though they look threatening, these bees are not a danger to anyone. They do like to drill holes in wood though, so you might find their holes in your home if it is made out of wood.
   Further on in the show you will meet the Bush Katydid. This rather showy insect is standing on a stage in front of its photograph and it has happy to talk about itself. It admits that it looks rather like a grasshopper, but its green body can make it look like a leaf in the right surroundings, which is handy in a world that is full of predators. In addition to being a master of camouflage, the katydid is a singer and a “petty thief.”
   In this memorable book Patrick Lewis’ amusing poems are paired with wonderful photos and amusing illustrations to give young readers a tour through a museum that is unlike any other. Information about each insect or spider species is incorporated into the poems. Readers will also find additional facts about the fourteen creepy crawlies featured in the show at the back of the book. Children will get to know the insect and spider characters that appear on the pages, and they may even finding themselves growing fond of them.

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