The new issue of Through the Looking Glass Book Reviews is now online

The March and April 2011 issue of Through the Looking Glass Children’s Book Reviews is now online. I have put together a wonderful collection of reviews for you for this issue, and I hope you enjoy reading the reviews as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

Here in Oregon, spring is making itself felt already, and for many people March and April are the months when they start getting busy in the garden. For this issue's special feature, I look at books about gardens and gardening for readers of all ages. Spending time in the garden gives children and young people a wonderful opportunity to connect with nature, watch things grow, and - of course - get dirty!

In March,  schools and libraries all over the United States observe  Women's History Month. This event celebrates the achievements of women over the years, and I have quite a large collection of books in the TTLG Women's History Month feature. In this feature readers will finds fiction and non-fiction titles that look at the lives and achievements of many great women from around the world.

April is the month when many Americans celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day. For Earth Day you can look at the Earth Day feature and the Saving the Environment feature. For Arbor Day  I have put together a delightful collection of books that are about trees. Some of the books in these features are informative nonfiction titles, while others are stories that will amuse, touch, and delight readers of all ages.

For this month's Editor's Choice title, I have selected a fascinating novelty title called Will Shakespeare: His life and times. This book will give readers an in-depth picture of William Shakespeare's achievements and, as they look through the book, readers will get a sense of what it would have been like to live in England during Shakespeare's lifetime. 

Finally, take a look at the new Bookish Calendar. Here you will find reviews about Michelangelo, St. Patrick's Day, Harry Houdini, the Titanic, and much more. This calendar is a great tool to use at home and in the classroom to help children incorporate books more fully into their lives.

-:Bookish Events for March and April:-

• March is Women's History Month (USA)
• March 2nd is Read Across America Day (USA)
• National March into Literacy Month (USA)
• April is National Poetry Month (USA)
• April 2nd is International Children's Book Day
• National Library Week April 10th - 16th (USA)
• Young People's Poetry Week April 12th - 18th (USA)
• National Week of the Ocean April 3rd - 9th (USA)

I hope you find a way to celebrate some, if not all,  of these bookish events. If I have missed an important bookish event, please drop me a line to tell me about it.

At the beginning of last year, I launched the new website, and all the new content for every issue is on this new website. However, a large part of the old content is still on the old site. You can still get to this content, but it is not integrated into the new site. Moving the 4,000 reviews over is going to take some time, and I appreciate your patience while I work on this. 

Some of the titles I reviewed several years ago are now out of print. Though you cannot buy these books in every bookshop, many of them are still available for purchase on websites like Amazon.com.

I hope you enjoy this new issue, and I look forward to hearing from you.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Sixty

Having recently spent many hours worrying about my sick dog, I think it is appropriate to review a book about pets and what it is like to have a pet. In this book, a young boy discovers that having a pet is not all fun and games, but it is still worth all the work and the worry. He also discovers that there are times when one has to make painful sacrifices to ensure that a pet is happy.

The Snagglegrollop

Daniel Postgate

Illustrated by Nick Price

Picture book

For ages 5 to 7

Scholastic, 2009, 978-0-545-10470-8

   Sam would like to have a pet, but his parents are apposed to the idea. A dog would need walking every day, and a cat would leave fur on the furniture. Then Sam asks if he can have a snagglegrollop, a creature that he just made up. His parents, finding this amusing, agree that Sam can have a snagglegrollop.

   When Sam comes home from school that day, he brings an enormous creature with him. The creature is a snagglegrollop and it has - among other things - a trunk, tusks, horns, and huge pink feet. Sam’s father is rather surprised, but because he said Sam could have a snagglegrollop, he lets him son keep the creature so long as Sam promises to look after it.

   Though it takes a lot of work to care for the snagglegrollop, Sam and his parents become very fond of it. Unfortunately, there are times when the snagglegrollop is sad. Something is wrong, and Sam and his family had no idea what they could do to help their unusual pet.

   This picture book explores the joys that come with pet ownership, even if that pet is a little unusual. It also highlights the idea that even the most peculiar of creatures can get lonely. The need for friendship is universal.

   With its wonderfully colorful illustrations and its loveable monster characters, this is a picture book that will particularly resonate with children who like animals.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Fifty-Nine

For those of you who like graphic novels, I have a treat for you today. A few years ago Jennifer Holm and her brother Matt Holm started creating graphic novels about a mouse character called Babymouse. The main character, Babymouse, is a middle schooler who has a powerful imagination, and who has the  tendency to get herself into unfortunate situations.The books are incredibly funny, and the authors make their tales interesting by having Babymouse interact with an unseen narrator, who knows Babymouse and her ways all too well.

Babymouse: Cupcake Tycoon

Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

Graphic Novel

For ages 7 to 10

Random House, 2010, 978-0-375-86573-2

   Today Babymouse is going to the library. While she is getting a book that is on a tall shelf, she loses her balance and grabs a pipe that just happens to be on hand just when she needs it. Unfortunately, the pipe is part of the fire sprinkler system. It breaks, and the library becomes a disaster area.

   In response to this “flood,” the school teachers decide to have a fundraiser to replace the water-damaged books. Babymouse has not had much luck with raising funds in the past, and she is not very thrilled about the fundraiser, until her teacher announces that to raise funds the kids will be selling cupcakes. What could be better! After all, Babymouse is a cupcake aficionado, and the top fundraiser will win a special prize.

   Despite her abysmal fundraising record, Babymouse sets about trying to sell cupcakes. True to form, she has a singular lack of success. How can she compete with Felicia, who has an advertising agency at her disposal?

   Babymouse fans are sure to be delighted with this adventure. As is typical with Babymouse, her dreams (conjured up by her vivid imagination) far outstrip her ability to get what she wants. This time though, Babymouse’s lack of success ends up being her trump card. Who can resist a mouse who continues to dream, even after having so many…er…setbacks.

   With its pink, black, and white graphic novel format, its loveable main character, and its cupcake filled pages, this is a book readers of all ages will enjoy.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Fifty-Eight

In today's book, Bill Thomson tells an extraordinary story without any words at all. His artwork is a joy to look at, and readers of all ages will appreciate the meticulous attention to detail that he uses in all the illustrations.

Chalk

Bill Thomson

Wordless Picture Book

For ages 4 to 7

Marshall Cavendish, 2010, 978-0-7614-5526-4

One day, three friends are walking through a playground on a rainy day. As they come up to the dinosaur spring rider, they see that someone has looped the handles of a gift bag over the dinosaur’s teeth. Naturally, the children are curious to see what is in the gift bag. When they look inside the bag, they see that it is full of big sticks of colored chalk.

   One of the girls takes out a stick of yellow chalk and she draws a picture of a sun on the road. To her amazement, a shining sun blazes up from the road and soon it is up in the sky driving all the rain-filled clouds away.

   The second girl takes out an orange stick of chalk and she draws butterflies on the road. In no time at all, the three children are surrounded by fluttering monarch butterflies.

   The little boy takes a green stick of chalk out of the bag. Hmmm. He has an idea. He has an idea to draw something fabulous. Could it be that his idea is perhaps it is not so fabulous after all?

   For this simply gorgeous picture book, Bill Thomson has created luminous illustrations that are rich with detail. He takes an ordinary rainy day and turns it into a day that is full of magic and adventure. Young children will enjoy narrating the story in their own words, and they will appreciate the fact that the story ends where it began.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Fifty-Seven

Today's book tells the story of a very intellectual mouse who does not know much about friendship. He knows that he wants a friend in his life, but he has a lot to learn about what it takes to be a good friend.

Frank and teddy Make Friends

Louise Yates

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Random House UK, 2011, 978-0-224-08369-0

   Professor Frank Mouse is a very clever inventor. Working alone in his home in the shed, Frank makes and mends all kinds of things. One day Frank looks outside and he seems that many animals are making and mending things, just as he does. The difference is that they, unlike him, are not alone. They have friends and family members to help them.

   Poor Frank is too shy to try to find a friend of his own, so he does the next best thing. Frank sets about making a friend for himself, and soon – after much hard work – his friend, Teddy, is all ready.

   Frank is delighted with Teddy, though Teddy wishes he were more handy and more able to join Frank in his making and mending work. One day, when Frank is out, Teddy tries to “make something by himself” as a surprise for Frank. Poor Teddy is so clumsy that the only thing he is able to make is a mess. What will Frank think when he sees what Teddy has done?

   In this delightful picture book, we meet a very intelligent mouse who has a lot to learn about friends and friendship. Thankfully, he creates Teddy, who has a big heart, and who knows all about how to make friends.

   With warm and often sweetly funny illustrations, and charming characters, this picture book is a title that children will want to look at again and again.

Poetry Friday - A review of Fly with poetry: An ABC of Poetry

Today's Poetry Friday selection is a book that explores the many forms that poets use to write poetry. Using examples, the author shows readers that there are a lot more forms than most people are aware of.

Fly with Poetry: An ABC of Poetry

Avis Harley
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 7 to 10
Boyd’s Mills Press, 2000, 978-1563977985

Many of us think that poetry comes in two forms - free verse and rhyming verse. In actual fact poetry can come in many different forms, and some poems may use different forms from stanza to stanza. In this very special book, readers are invited to explore twenty-six different forms, from A to Z. Yes indeed, there is a poetic form whose name begins with the letter Z. There is also one whose name begins with X - Xcogito. In this form, the poet tries using "experimental" rhymes for words "which cannot be rhymed by traditional means."

For each form, the author has written a sample poem in which the form is used. She also defines the form at the bottom of the page so the reader can understand when and how it is used. Some forms may be familiar, such as the haiku and the sonnet. Other forms will be unknown to the reader, and they will reveal a new side of the poetic world, opening up new possibilities.

The author invites her readers to try their own hand at using some of the forms described in her book by leaving the Y page blank for "Your Poem." Using the tools and ideas described in the book to help them, many a reader will find this to be a challenge that is hard to ignore.

Entertaining poems on a variety of interesting subjects make this book an winning introduction to the world of poetry.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Fifty-Six

Every parent knows what it is like when a child loses or misplaces a beloved stuffed animal. Tears flow, frantic searches take place, and nothing is quite right until and missing toy is found, safe and sound. Today's picture book tells the story of one teddy bear who has an extraordinary adventure when he is accidentally lost.

Bear in the air

Susan Meyers

Illustrated by Amy Bates

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Abrams, 2010, 978-0-8109-8398-4

   Mother is taking Baby for a ride in his stroller along the beach. When the stroller bounces over a little red crab, Bear is “bounced” out of the stroller and onto the boardwalk. Baby is naturally distraught, and Mother looks for Bear, but she cannot find him and she continues her walk down the boardwalk. Unfortunately, for Bear, a dog finds him and carries him onto the beach, where he leaves the toy to be carried off by a wave. A sailor in his boat sees Bear “barely afloat” and he tries to rescue him, but his efforts come to naught, and Bear is carried down, down, down into the “deep ocean” by a playful seal.

   Any child who has lost a much-loved toy will appreciate this picture book with its engaging rhyming text and its luscious pencil and watercolor illustrations. It is interesting to see how many adventures the bear has, and how, in the end, the bear ends up where he belongs. 

American Girl's 2011 Girl of the Year.

A few years ago I got my daughter her first American Girl doll. She chose Samantha, a doll whose stories take place in the Edwardian era. We collected the books that go with the doll, which I read to her, and had a blast finding outfits and accessories that suited Samantha's time. I was able to use the doll to teach my daughter about what it would have been like to live in America at the turn of the century. We talked about women's rights, the treatment of working class people, and the class system that existed then.


A few years after we got Samantha, someone gave my daughter their Molly doll and I was able to share the history of the WWII years with her through Molly's stories.


This year American Girl is launching a new doll. Her name is Kanani, and her stories will focus on the need to care for others. Here is the press release about this new doll, her books, and America Girl's partnership with  the National Wildlife Federation.

ALOHA, KANANI! AMERICAN GIRL’S 2011 GIRL OF THE YEAR HAILS FROM HAWAI‘I!

—National Campaign Encourages Girls to Share the Aloha Spirit of Helping Others—

 

This January, kicking off American Girl’s 25^th birthday celebration, is the debut of Kanani Akina, the 2011 Girl of the Year^®, whose story takes place in the lush tropical paradise of Hawai‘i. A warm and cheerful girl, Kanani loves her town’s beautiful beaches, tropical sunsets, and fun lu‘aus, but most of all, she and her family love sharing the aloha spirit—a desire to welcome and care for others with an open heart. Through Kanani, girls will discover that everyone has something to share that can make life better for someone else.

Kanani is available for one year and will launch with two books that tell her story, a beautiful 18-inch Kanani doll (featuring long, wavy medium-brown hair and hazel eyes), and an array of outfits and accessories such as a paddleboard set, a plush Hawaiian monk seal, and a shave ice stand!

Written by acclaimed author Lisa Yee, the 2011 Girl of the Year books—Aloha, Kanani and Good Job, Kanani—introduce readers to Kanani and her small seaside town on the island of Kaua‘i. Kanani loves working in her family’s shave ice and sweet treats store, as well as sharing the wonders of Hawai‘i with visitors. Whether she’s making her cousin from New York feel welcome on the island, helping rescue a baby Hawaiian monk seal, or assisting older people in her community, Kanani learns that by sharing herself and her home in the true aloha spirit, she is able to make life better for others. The back of each Kanani book features profiles of real girls who, like Kanani, discover the joy of helping others through their gifts and efforts, however small.

To share in the Hawaiian spirit of helping others, American Girl is partnering with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) to help raise awareness of endangered animals, like the Hawaiian monk seal featured in Kanani’s stories. With the purchase of every Kanani plush monk seal sold in 2011, American Girl is donating $1 (up to a maximum of $100,000) to NWF’s efforts to help children throughout the United States gain an appreciation and understanding for America’s most vulnerable animals through various educational programs and activities.

To further engage girls in Kanani’s world and her story’s inspirational message, American Girl is introducing the following products and activities in 2011:

«      Lend a Hand: Girl-Sized Ways of Helping Others: A nonfiction companion advice book to the Kanani fiction series, Lend a Hand gives girls ideas and tips (both big and small) for making a difference at home, among their friends, in their community, and on the planet.

«      Kanani Retail Events: Starting on January 1, girls can take part in Kanani-inspired events at American Girl retail stores nationwide, including demonstrations for dancing hula, free Hawaiian craft activities, and delicious Kanani-themed meals.

«      Kanani and Me E-cards: From January 1 through April 15, 2011, girls can create and share their own Kanani-themed postcards at americangirl.com/girloftheyear and can be automatically entered (with parent’s permission) in a drawing to win a Kanani doll and book.

Starting on January 1, 2011, the Kanani doll, books, and accessories will be available for one year or while supplies last through American Girl’s catalogue, at americangirl.com, and at all American Girl retail locations. To request a free American Girl catalogue, call 1-800-845-0005.

About American Girl

American Girl Brands, LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT, www.mattel.com), the world’s leading toy company. Since American Girl’s inception in 1986, the company has devoted its entire business to celebrating the potential of girls ages 3 to 12. American Girl encourages girls to dream, to grow, to aspire, to create, and to imagine through a wide range of engaging and insightful books, age-appropriate and educational products, and unforgettable experiences. In meeting its mission with a vigilant eye toward quality and service, American Girl has earned the loyal following of millions of girls and the praise and trust of parents and educators. To learn more about American Girl or to request a free catalogue, call

1-800-845-0005 or visit www.americangirl.com. 

About National Wildlife Federation

National Wildlife Federation is the nation's largest conservation organization and publisher of the award-winning children’s magazines Ranger Rick^®, Your Big Backyard^®, and Wild Animal Baby^®. National Wildlife Federation inspires more than four million members and supporters to protect wildlife for our children’s future. For more information, visit www.nwf.org.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Fifty-five

Friendship, just like almost everything else in life, takes work. Today's picture book tells the story of two young animals who discover that life really is better when you have a friend to share it with.

Without You

Genevieve Cote

Picture Books

For ages 5 to 7

Kids Can Press, 2011, 978-1-55453-620-7

Rabbit and Pig are good friends and they are playing together, as they so often do. Pig is pulling a wagon full of things including a soccer ball, a trumpet, books, and a teapot. Unfortunately, Pig is running so fast that items are flying out of the wagon. Rabbit tells Pig that he is “going too fast,” but Pig keeps on going. As Rabbit picks up a book off the grass, he chides Pig for being “so careless.” In response, Pig tells Rabbit that he makes a “fuss over any little mess.”

   Rabbit and Pig now are both upset and angry. Rabbit announces that he won’t play with Pig, and Pig says that he “won’t miss” Rabbit at all. They both announce that they can do all their favourite things “without you.”

   Even the best of friends sometimes have a falling out. It happens. Though Pig and Rabbit have a great deal in common, they are upset and want to prove that they don’t need each other. Children who have gone through a similar experience, will completely understand how two friends can so quickly fight, and how they can equally quickly reconcile their differences.

   With wonderfully expressive mixed media art, and a minimal but meaningful text, this book is perfect for young children who are learning how to navigate the sometimes tricky waters of friendship. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Fifty-four

Not long ago I was driving past a field full of cows here in Ashland when I saw that there was a peacock sitting in a tree above the heads of the browsing cows. I was so startled by this rather peculiar sight that I almost drove into a ditch. I could not for the life of me figure out why there was a peacock in a cow field in southern Oregon. Where did it come from? I was therefore delighted to receive a review copy of today's picture book, which is about a peacock that causes quite a stir on a farm.

Three Hens and a Peacock

Lester L. Laminack

Illustrated by Henry Cole

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Peachtree Publishers, 2011, 1-56145-564-4

   Life on the Tucker farm is peaceful and “nothing unusual” happens there. The cows chew their cud, the hens cluck, peck, and lay eggs, and the old hound snoozes on the porch. Peace and quiet reigns. Until the day when a box falls out of a van, and peacock steps out of the box. The animals on the farm behave the way their normally do, but the peacock – who has never lived on a farm – starts to shriek.

   The peacock stands by the side of the road shrieking and showing off his spectacular tail feathers, and people who are driving by stop to take a look at the bird. They get out of their cars, take photos of the peacock, and buy corn, tomatoes, and eggs from the Tuckers. The peacock loves the attention, and the Tuckers are very happy because business is “booming.” However, the hens on the farm are furious. They are livid that they are doing all the work and the peacock “gets all the attention.” With angry hens complaining, and a miserable peacock moping around, the atmosphere on the farm is most uncomfortable. What is to be done about this situation?

   Readers of all ages are sure to be entertained when they read this delightful picture book. Not only is it very amusing, but it also looks at something that we are all, on occasion, are guilty of doing - wishing we were in someone else’s shoes. In this case, the chickens wish they were in the peacocks…er…feet, and vice versa. Sometimes being who and what you are is actually the best thing to be.