The new issue of Through the Looking Glass is now online

Happy New Year! The January and February 2012 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.

For this issue I have decided to review books that feature mice and rats. I know many adults have an aversion to these animals, but young readers all over the world love stories where the main characters are mice or rats. For generations Beatrix Potter has charmed us with her story of Hunca Munca and Tom Thumb, the two bad mice who raid a little girl's doll house. Then there are the mice who live in Brambley Hedge, Angelina Ballerina, and Maisy. I am also very fond of the Mouse and Mole books by Wong Herbert Yee, and the adventures of Babymouse. As for rats, well Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh is one of favorite books, and where would the stories of Redwall be if brave Martin the Warrior (a mouse) didn't have ferocious sea rats to vanquish.

Where I live, January and February are the coldest months of the year. Winter has a tight hold on the land, and crackling fires in the fireplace are welcome. This is the perfect time of year to read lots of books, and you might find that some of these seasonal wintery books hit the spot. If you live in a place where snow falls, then these Snowy Days books will be a perfect fit. If you don't get snow in your region, then you might enjoy being able to enjoy snow through the pages of a good book.

For this month's Editor's Choice title, I have selected The Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah and Kelly DiPucchio. This meaningful picture book explores the idea that the first step to tolerance is having an open mind.

Don't forget to look at the new Bookish Calendar. Here you will find reviews about Paul Cezanne, Valentine's Day, Buffalo Bill, the discovery of gold in California in 1848, 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.

There are several bookish events taking place in February that I would like to tell you about. They are:

·        February is National Black History Month - Find reviews that suit this event here.

·        February is Library Lover's Month - Find reviews of books about libraries here.

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.

Last year I posted a review of a picture book for 365 days. This year I will be posting new picture book reviews on Mondays, new fiction reviews for younger readers (under the age of 12) on Wednesdays, and poetry book reviews on Fridays. Of course, I will also post interviews, book announcements, and other bookish articles as well. 

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

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and sixty-five

Well friends, this is the last day of the TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration. For 365 days I have posted a picture book review, and it has been a wonderful journey. I wanted to wrap up the celebration with something special. I looked and looked and looked until I found Varmints, a picture book whose story moved me, and whose art charmed me. The illustrator has created a little film of the tale that you might like to watch.

Varmints

Helen Ward

Illustrated by Marc Craste

Picture book

For ages 8 and up

Candlewick Press, 2008, 0763637963

   There once was a time when the world was full of beauty and light. The only sounds were “the bees, the whispering wind in the wiry grass…and the song of birds in the high blue sky.” A few beings enjoyed this world, listening to the gentle sounds and appreciating what they had.

   Then others came, and they build huge ugly buildings that blotted out the sky. This new world was so noisy that the sounds of birdsong and grass rustling were drowned out. More and more others came until everything was so noisy that “no one could hear themselves think!”

   Somewhere, high above the streets there was one of the few who carefully took care of “a little piece of wilderness.” He waited until he knew that the time had come, and then he took his precious pot of plants to a special place and left it there hoping that somehow his precious gift would bring about change, and that one day the noise would end and he would be able to hear the birds and the wind.

  This extraordinary picture book will remind readers of all ages that we cannot take our world for granted. We cannot assume that our natural heritage will last forever if we do not protect it from creatures like the others in this story. With a loveable main character who looks a bit like a rabbit, a storyboard that has the feel of a film or movie, and gorgeous atmospheric illustrations throughout, this is a book that everyone should read. And remember. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and sixty-four

Many people spend years and years trying to find the right someone who will be their best friend and their partner. Sometimes the search is a painful one, and sometimes it seems as if that somebody to love will never turn up.

In today's picture book you will meet a little doll who is trying to find her somebody. The story has a message of hope that will appeal to readers of all ages.

The Somebody for me

Minako Chiba

Translated by Hana Christen

Picture book

For ages 5 to 7

NorthSouth, 2010, 978-0-7358-2323-5

   Miss Mika is a happy doll maker, and as she sews her dolls, she hopes that all of her creations will be happy too. When one of her dolls, Sumiko, asks Miss Mika what “happy” is, Miss Mika explains that happiness is a feeling that you get “when somebody loves you.”

   Sumiko and the other dolls are arranged in the shop window, and one by one they are sold until the only one left is Sumiko. New toys come into the shop and they go off with happy children. Poor Sumiko is ignored, and she cannot wondering, “Where is the somebody for me?”

   Then, after a long wait, a little girl comes into the shop who wants Sumiko, but her father says that Sumiko is “old and dirty,” and he leads his daughter away to find something “new and clean.” Sumiko begins to think that she will never have a somebody of her own.

   We all have moments when we feel very alone, and when we wish that we had a somebody to love who will love us back. In this sweet and touching picture book, Minako Chiba beautifully shows how important it is not to give up hope. Someone will  come along who will be that right somebody.

Poetry Friday - A review of A Kick in the head: An everyday Guide to Poetic Forms

When I was a child, I thought that poetry came in two forms: poems that rhyme, and those that don't. I never knew that there are lots of poetic forms, and I certainly did not explore these forms. Today's poetry book would have delighted me because it shows, with examples, that poems come in a wide variety of flavors, just like ice-cream!

A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms

Paul B. Janeczko
Illustrated by Chris Raschka
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 8 to 12
Candlewick, 2005, 978-0763606626
Have you even wondered what makes a haiku a haiku, or what a riddle poem is? Have you ever wondered why poets let themselves be governed by rules at all, and when they decide to break the rules for the sake of their art? If you the kind of person who has asked these kinds of questions, then this is the book for you. With delightful touches of humor and an obvious love of poetry, Paul Janeczko explores twenty-nine poetic forms. For each one, he gives the reader an example poem or two, and a brief description of the form. More detailed descriptions for each form can be found in the back of the book.

   Some of the poems may be familiar, including “The Tyger” by William Blake, a selection from “The shooting of Dan McGrew,” and “Ode to Pablo’s Tennis Shoes” by Gary Soto. Some of the other poems may be new to the reader, and they will offer the reader the opportunity to see that the world of poetry is full of variety and creativity. Many of the poems that were chosen for this volume are amusing, and a few are also very visual.

   For each poem, Chris Raschka has created a unique multimedia illustration, which not only compliments the poem, but which also often reflects on the poetry form that was used to create that poem.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and sixty-three

Many of us are conditioned to think that certain people simply aren't friend material. Some people are just too strange, too poor, too rich, too smart, too tall, too short, too different, to be a friend. In reality, one can make friends with just about anyone.

In today's book, you will meet Tom, a cat, who is convinced that birds are good for only one thing. Eating. Cats and birds cannot, in his opinion, be friends. Could it be that Tom is wrong?

Tom’s Tweet

Jill Esbaum

Illustrated by Dan Santat

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Random House, 2011, 978-0-375-85171-1

   Tom is a large tomcat who is delighted when he sees a baby bird “flip-flapping” on the grass beneath a tree. Here is a nice tasty “treat” he thinks, as he prepares to eat the little bird. Then Tom observes that the baby bird is far too small and skinny to eat. He is about to walk away, when he also observes that the baby bird is all alone and that it is clearly terrified.

   Despite the fact that he does not want to given in to his softie instincts, Tom tries to put the baby bird back in its nest, but the mother bird attacks him. Tom is forced to retreat with the “tweet” dangling by a tail feather from his mouth.

  Desperate to quiet the baby, who is yelling its head off, Tom makes it a nest (of sorts) and he even feeds it. This latter chore is especially horrific because Tom has to masticate worms for the tweet.

   Eventually, the mama bird flies off and Tom is able to return the tweet to its nest. Tom never imagines that his tweet adventure is not quite over; indeed it is not!

   This is a thoroughly delightful picture book. With its expressive cartoon-style artwork, its rhyming text, and its deliciously funny story, this is a book that children and their grownups will enjoy sharing. The story serves as a celebration of friendship, and it reminds us that even the most unlikely of individuals can become friends. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and sixty-two

Finding the perfect gift for someone you love can be very challenging sometimes. We look in shops and catalogs for that perfect something, never considering that the best gift of all might be right under our noses.

In today's picture book, the author shows to great effect that gifts that have a personal touch are the ones that mean the most.

The perfect gift

Mary Newell DePalma

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Scholastic, 2010, 978-0-545-15402-4

One day Lori the lorikeet finds a strawberry, and she decides to take it to her grandma. The problem is that the lorikeet is very little, and the strawberry is very big. When Lori stops to rest and puts the strawberry on the ground, the berry rolls, hops, and falls into the river, where is sinks to the bottom. Poor Lori is heartbroken.

   A chipmunk hears Lori crying, and when Lori tells her what has happened, the chipmunk offers to help the little bird retrieve the strawberry. Unfortunately, chipmunks aren’t very good at diving deep. Goose comes along and she tries to get the berry too, but just like chipmunk, she cannot reach the berry. Then frog comes along, and being a superb swimmer, he is able to get the strawberry. The frog and his new friends are celebrating when a big toothy crocodile decides that the lorikeet, goose, chipmunk, and frog would make a nice tasty snack.

   In this clever picture book, children will see how some friends are able to turn a loss into a success. Children will enjoy all those “Oh no!” moments, and they will be delighted when they see how this story ends.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and sixty-one

Many children spend most of their lives disconnected from nature. They live in concrete jungles where there are very few trees to climb, or patches of grass to roll in. I am convinced that it is very important for children to be able to spend time in a natural setting where there is earth to dig in and insects to watch. Being able to connect with nature lifts children's spirits and helps them to feel grounded.

Today's picture book looks at the adventures that one little girl has as she explores a meadow. These are not big and grand adventures. Instead, they are little adventures that are nevertheless very precious.


In the meadow

Yukiko Kato

Illustrated by Kamako Sakai

Translated by Yuki Kaneko

Picture book

For ages 4 to 6

Enchanted Lion, 2011, 978-1-59270-108-7

   Yu-chan and her parents are playing on the beach by the river. The little girl’s father invites her to join him and Yu-chan’s brother as they paddle in the water, but Yu-chan is distracted by a butterfly that is sitting on a stone nearby. Charmed by the butterfly’s “beautiful orange wings with teeny black dots,” Yu-chan follows the butterfly when is flies into a meadow.

   Yu-chan follows the butterfly, pushing through fragrant plants and through grass that tickles her legs. Surrounded by the tall grass, Yu-chan feels as if she is in the middle of a  “green sea.” Even when she can no longer see the butterfly, Yu-chan finds other things to marvel at, until she realizes that she does not know where she is.

   This is the first title in a new Being in the World series, a collection of books from Japan that explore the ways in which children interact with nature. The narrative is simple and magical, and children and grownups alike will be charmed by Yu-chan’s little adventure. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and sixty

When people are big and tough looking, and when they give the impression that they are a law unto themselves, most of us give them a wide berth. We never imagine that they, just like everyone else, can feel lonely. We never imagine that they might need a friend.

Today's picture book explores the idea that everyone needs a friend, even if they look scary and seem grumpy or mean.

The dearest Little Mouse in the world

Antonie Schneider

Illustrated by Quentin Greban

Translated by J. Alison James

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

NorthSouth, 2004, 978-0735818910

   Every day, Fay the little mouse girl walks to and from school with her friends, and every day she ignores the big black dog who barks “Hello!” to her. Fay is so busy chatting with her friends, that she simply doesn’t notice the dog.

   Then one day Fay walks home on her own, and the big, black dog growls and snarls are her, demanding that she “SAY HELLO!” Not surprisingly, little Fay is frightened by this, and she runs home. Fay is in such a state that she refuses to eat any bacon, cheese, chocolate pudding, or grapes. Fay’s behavior greatly worries her mother and father, who ask their daughter to tell them what is wrong.

   Fay tells her parents about how the big, black dog growled and snarled at her, and she is amazed when they explain that the dog is not a bad dog. In fact, he is trying to be friends.

   In this delightfully sweet picture book, readers will meet a little mouse who learns that friends come in all shapes and sizes. Even individuals who are big and scary looking need someone to notice them, someone to be their friend. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and fifty-nine

Merry Christmas everyone! For many of us, decorating the family Christmas tree is one of our favorite seasonal traditions. I have had a Christmas tree every year of my life, even during the years when my family and I were living in a war zone and when we were refugees from that war. One year we even had a eucalyptus branch to decorate because there was nothing else!

In today's picture book you will read about a man who risked everything to bring Christmas trees to the children of Chicago.

The Christmas Tree Ship

Carol Crane

Illustrated by Chris Ellison

Picture Book

For ages 6 to 9

Sleeping Bear Press, 2011, 978-1-58536-285-1

   Tim and his brother live with their Grandpa Axel and Grandma Hannah in a Lake Michigan lighthouse. Grandpa knows the lakes moods very well, and one stormy night just before Christmas he gathers the children together in front of the fire to tell them a story.

   One of Grandpa’s favourite stories is the true story of Captain Santa and his ship, Rouse Simmons. Every year Captain Santa transported Christmas trees from northern Michigan to Chicago, so that the city children could have beautiful trees to decorate for Christmas. One year the Captain decided that this would be his last trip. He was getting old and it was time to take it easy. On that last journey, the Rouse Simmons sailed into a terrible storm, and though the captain did everything he could, he and his crew were lost when the Rouse Simmons sank.

   After the storm was over, Grandpa found driftwood and Christmas trees from the Rouse Simmons on the beach near where he lived. At this point in his story, Grandpa shows the children a copper tag that he found on the beach all those years ago. It was one of the straps that they used to tie the Christmas trees together, and it came from the Rouse Simmons.

   Now that Captain Santa was gone, everyone thought that Chicago would have to do without the wonderful Christmas trees from Michigan, but the very next year something amazing happened.

   This tale is based on the true story of Captain Schuenemann and his ship, the Rouse Simmons. The author’s grandfather, Axel Anderson, told her the story of the ship that brought Christmas trees to Chicago, and how he really did find trees bound with copper tags on the beach.

   Beautifully told and illustrated, this is a very special book that will take young readers on a journey into the past. 

Merry Christmas!