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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.

Monday, April 18, 2011

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book One hundred and eight

I must confess that I, like so many people, really don't like Mondays. Yes, this is partly because I would rather not get up at 6: 15 am, and yes I would also prefer to spend the day hiking, reading, gardening, or playing the violin instead of working. There is another reason why I don't Mondays though. I don't like Mondays because my husband and daughter have to leave the house to go to work and school. We are apart, and quite frankly I don't like it. This book was written for children and their families who have to face the Monday morning blues, and it offers a new way of looking at the first day of the work week.

Arthur A. Levin
Illustrated by Julian Hector
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 7
Scholastic, 2011, 978-0-439-78924-0
   All over the world Monday is the day when grownups go back to work and when children get ready for five days when at least one of their parents or guardians will not be around to spend time with. There is no doubt that being apart is hard for both children and their grownups, but perhaps it can be made easier if we “count the days till we’re both at home with a special thing to do.”
   It all begins on Monday when we share a “safe snuggly cuddle” before we part. On Tuesday the day begins with “Two stomps in a puddle.” On Wednesday, “three raspberries on the nose” are just what we need to get us going in the morning, and there are only two more days to go before the work week is over and it is Saturday.
   This delightful book will surely offer comfort to both children and their grownups as they get themselves ready for the five work days in the week. The book reminds us to enjoy those special moments together that we share from Monday to Friday, and it is a celebration of all kinds of families.
   With an uplifting rhyming text and warm illustrations throughout, this is a picture book that family members will enjoy sharing.

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