Through the Looking Glass Book Reviews: Susan Albert

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.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Calling all beatrix Potter fans

I am reading a wonderful book at the moment called "The Tale of Hawthorn House" written by Susan Albert. This is the fourth book in the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter series, and I must confess that I had a hard time putting the book down last night. My review for this book will be online in the August issue of Through the Looking Glass Book Review but I will give you a teaser just to capture your interest:

Beatrix Potter is loving the days that she is spending on her farm, and all is

relatively quiet in her little English village. Then she finds a basket on her doorstep containing a baby. No one knows where the baby came from, though many of the villagers believe that the infant either belongs to, or was stolen by, the gypsies. The animals in the district know more about the provenance of Baby Flora but alas no one bothers to ask them their opinion.

Meanwhile Jemima Puddleduck, the white duck who barely escaped with her life when a fox set a trap for her, is sitting on a hidden clutch of eggs. For some reason the eggs are refusing to hatch and poor Jemima does not know what to do.

With great skill Susan Albert combines fact, fiction, and fantasy in this novel to create a story that is thought-povoking, entertaining, and which also gives readers a picture of what Beatrix Potter's life was like. Being a huge admirer of Beatrix Potter and her work, I am always delighted to discover that Susan Albert has added another book to this unique series. Do take a look at the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter website. Here you will find further information about the series, a newsletter for fans of the books, and much more.

Through the Looking Glass has reviewed other books by, and about, Beatrix Potter. You can find these reviews on the Beatrix Potter page.