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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, June 23, 2014

Picture Book Monday with a review of Pig and Small

On very rare occasions we make friends with a person who is just like us. Most of the time our friends have different interests, and different approaches to life, and we have to adapt or compromise if we want the friendship to flourish.

In today's picture book you will meet two animals who are very different and who have unique challenges to overcome.

Pig and SmallPig and Small
Alex Latimer
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Random House UK, 2013, 978-0-552-56543-1
One morning Pig notices that his nose is squeaking. His nose has never squeaked before and though it appears to be working properly, it never stops squeaking. Pig doesn’t find any information about Squeaky Nose Syndrome so he takes a good look at his snout and there, on the end of it, is a bug, and the bug is squeaking. In fact the bug is “waving and squeaking like mad,” which Pig realizes is Bug’s way of asking if Pig will be his friend.
   Pig gets out his tandem bike and the two new friends head for the park. Of course bug’s legs are too short to reach the pedals so Pig ends up doing all the work. When they get to the park Bug decides to thank Pig for the bike ride by giving Pig a cake that he made. Unfortunately, the cake is so small that Pig doesn’t notice or comment on the lovely decorations that Bug put on the cake. Pig just eats it whole in one gulp.
   Pig and Bug try to play chess, but the pieces are too heavy for Bug to move. Bug knits a pair of sweaters, one for himself and one for Pig, but Pig’s sweater is too small for him. Sadly, Pig and Bug realize that they just cannot be friends. They are just too different.
   Sometimes we make friends with people who are a lot like us and our friends almost become an extension of ourselves.  At other times we befriend people with whom we have some things in common, but who are also different from us in big ways.
   This often funny and very sweet picture book explores how two very different animals try to find common ground so that they can be friends. It is not easy, but it can be done.

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