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.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Eighty-Two

In today's picture book, we see how two children who have very different lives discover that they have a great deal in common.

Julie Cummins
Illustrated by Ted Rand
Picture Book
Ages 3 to 6
Henry Holt, 2002, 0-8050-6467-2
   With the passing of the seasons, two children who are miles apart live their lives in such different ways. Ben lives in the country, closely linked to the earth and its rhythms. Far away Jody goes about her days working and playing in a city world with its street noises, shops full of people, and conveniences. Both children do the same kinds of things, but they do them in such dissimilar ways. When they meet at summer camp, they find that their differences don’t prevent them from being good friends. They share what they have in common and explore what they don’t.
   In soft watercolor illustrations and with the clever use of insets and frames, the illustrator brings to life two very different worlds where a tree flames over a county postbox in the fall, and where slush splashes on city boots in the winter. On one side of a double page spread one sees a scene from country life, and on the other side one scenes a scene from city life. Then, as one comes towards the end of the book, both children come together on one page, sharing space and friendship. The author shows us that we can be very different because of where we come from ,and yet still have enough in common to become friends. This is a very lovely and special book.

No comments:

Bookmark and Share