Frame of Reference
Jane Goldstein
The Looking Glass was launched on April 2, 1997 to celebrate International Children's Book Day. We are grateful for the opportunities this journal has enjoyed as it has reached out globally to new audiences. It is with regret that we acknowledge all the children in the world for whom surviving the day is the primary goal. Learning about themselves and others through the wonderful world of books is a luxury they may never experience. The fight must always be to not forget these children and to seize those opportunities we are given to help them.
The Looking Glass has always tried to offer variety. In this issue we offer serious intellectual discussion as well as personal reflections. Some websites and similar information will hopefully be of use to some of our readers. Here are the highlights of the current issue:
Alice's Academy is a dialogue between Roderick McGillis and Kerry Mallan on the verse novel. They discuss the development of verse novels and their particular appeal to young adult readers in Australia.
Anna Seipp, a student at the University of British Columbia, is the second writer chosen for "The Mentor". Her submission examines the fresh retellings of fairy tales by Donna Jo Napoli and how they appeal to new audiences.
Evelyn Perry continues with her thoughts on folk retellings in "Curiouser and Curiouser" and explores the importance of literary and social history in Jane Yolen's Briar Rose.
The internet and new websites to explore are highlighted in three columns. Ruth Allen reflects on World Book Day in the United Kingdom in "A Distant Mirror". She includes some sites to check out. In "Picture Window" Judith Saltman talks about how her childhood passion for drawing has ultimately led to a new website and a forthcoming book on illustration in Canadian literature. "The Caucus Race" returns in this issue, and we expect to see it more regularly in the future. It will be featuring new websites that we have been made aware of. Contributions for future issues may be sent to the editor. The Looking Glass reserves the right to choose those which are most consistent with our goals for each issue.
Maggie Parish continues her forum discussion in this issue and your response is encouraged. She compares the characters in Louis Sachar's Newberry Award winner, Holes, with those in his easy reader series featuring Marvin Redpost.
Please note the changes which have resulted with the decision to move our issue focusing on Arabic literature for children to April 2, 2004. Because it is International Children's Book Day, it seemed most appropriate to reserve that issue for such contributions.
Editorially yours,
Jane Goldstein
"Editorial" © Jane Goldstein, 2003.
Volume 7, Issue 2, The Looking Glass, April, 2003
Site design and content, except where noted, © The Looking Glass 2003.
"Frame of Reference"
© Jane Goldstein.
Send general correspondence regarding The Looking Glass c/o The Editor