In honor of National Library Week, a review of I Believe in Unicorns.

 Michael Murpugo is one of my favorite writers. His books are written for children, but adults will find that his stories have something for them as well. The stories make you pause, and think. They explore issues that are far-reaching and universal. 
   When I review a book that really touches me, I keep it and put it on my 'favorites' book shelf. Most of Michael Murpurgo's books are there. His book War Horse was turned into a film and a play.

I believe in Unicorns
Michael Morpurgo
Illustrator:  Gary Blythe 
Fiction
For ages 7 to 10
Candlewick Press, 2005, 978-0763630508
Tomas is eight years old and more than anything he loves to roam the countryside having adventures and helping his father tend the beehives. He hates having to go to school and he despises books and stories. Books and stories belong in the school room and they certainly aren't any fun. So when his mother makes him go to the story hour at the library, Tomas is very annoyed and not in the least bit interested in listening to the librarian tell her stories.
   Tomas only has to listen to a little bit of the library lady's first story and he is completely entranced by her words. She sits on a lovely wooden unicorn reading to the children and telling them stories that she has made up. She tells them about her father who long ago, during a war, did his best to prevent evil people from burning books. Tomas finally begins to see that books are more than just pages of words and that they have a great deal to offer everyone, even him.
   When war arrives in Tomas' own peaceful valley Tomas and all the people in his village are suddenly faced with a terrible calamity - their library is set on fire by a falling bomb. Something has to be done to save the books and their beloved wooden unicorn. Soon everyone, even the children, are working hard to save the most valuable thing in the village.
   Many of us take books for granted, forgetting the many hours of pleasure that they have given us. In this book Michael Morpurgo reminds us that books and libraries are a treasure which should be fought for and defended. No one should be allowed to take away our books, for without our stories, poems, histories, biographies and scientific accounts our lives would be very empty indeed.

Three mothers battle to save school libraries

When I was growing up on the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean I spent many blissful hours at the British Council Library. Being able to go to the library and to borrow books made the long hot summers bearable. Then, when I was a teenager, I worked as a library assistant, helping to manage my high school library. It was a job I was enormously proud of.
Now here I am spending my life surrounded, literally, by books. Just like my younger self, I cannot imagine what life would be like without books and libraries. When I first moved to Ashland, Oregon, a year ago I was horrified to discover that the town's library was closed and had been in this lamentable state for months. The county and state just did not have the money to keep the libraries in this area open. Finally, to my great relief, the people of the town of Ashland stepped in. We were all asked if we would be willing to pay a little more in taxes so that our library could reopen. We were willing to do this and now our splendid library is up and running again.
Recently I read an article about three mothers who have been trying to get the state of Washington to stop taking money away from its public school libraries. For some children, the books in their school libraries are the only ones they get to read. School libraries also provide another priceless service; they are a place where children who don't have computers at home can learn how to use the Internet. Without this resource they will leave school not knowing how to tap into the World Wide Web.
To me this is a frightening thought, and I decided that I would share the story of these three courageous and determined mothers with you. You can read the complete story on School Library Journal . You can also visit the online petition to add your name to the list, and to thus show the powers-that-be that you support this cause. In addition you can visit the Washington Coalition for School Libraries & Information Technology website for more information about this story and the campaign.
If you live outside Washington State you might well ask why you should care about this campaign. The way things are going these days your state might be next. With libraries and book friendly organizations like RIF losing money left, right, and center, we all need to help one another save what we hold dear.

The New Issue Of Through the Looking Glass Book Review

The new issue of Through the Looking Glass Book Review is now online. I hope you take a moment to look at some of the individual reviews, the features, the author profiles, and the spotlights that I have put together for you.


In this month's issue the special feature takes a look at titles that are about books and libraries. Books give children all kinds of opportunities, taking them on journeys around the world and into the depths of their own imagination. For many of us, libraries are not only a wonderful resource, but they are also a refuge where we can connect with others, talk about books, use a computer, and so much more. My own town recently came to really appreciate how precious a library can be when ours closed due to a lack of basic funding. Thankfully, after many months without a library, the town found a way to reopen the library doors once again.


The editor's choice for this month is The Book Book by Sophie Benini Pietromarchi. This splendid non-fiction title shows readers (including adults who are interested in such things) how to create a book of their own. Beautifully and creatively illustrated throughout, this title encourages would-be writers to explore their world so that they can find what they need to create a unique book that they will treasure for years to come.


The Bookish Calendar takes a look at the month of September, providing links to reviews of books that are suited to the events, celebrations, and anniversaries that fall during this month. For example September 13th is the anniversary of Roald Dahl's birth. The Bookish Calendar will take you to a wide selection of reviews about books by and about this splendid author. The Bookish Calendar also provides a link to the Titanic Page, because and on this month in 1985 the wreck of the Titanic as discovered off the coast of Newfoundland lying at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.


During our visit to the website don't forget to check out the Book Giveaway Page. Three titles are up for grabs this month.