Frame of Reference
Introduction
Annette Goldsmith
Though content is our main concern here at The Looking
Glass, we've been spending a lot of time behind the scenes
dealing with technical issues. To this end, I'm very pleased
to announce that software developer Allen Briggs has agreed to
host our site. More good news: Elizabeth Pandolfo Briggs is the
new editor of Alice's Academy, the refereed section. The Academy
has needed a children's literature academic at the helm, and
Elizabeth is a doctoral candidate at the University of Wales,
Cardiff, studying Welsh children's literature and Welsh culture.
Allen and Elizabeth live in Blacksburg, Virginia. Not only do
we get them
we get their children too! Elizabeth has just
found out she's going to have twins, the first TLG babies. Her
other baby, Alice's Academy,
features Kate Stephenson's thoughtful examination of just what
makes J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books so special. And lest
we think that Harry Potter is universally admired, well, we have
a dissenting view: Jeffrey Canton takes on the Potter mystique
in Illuminating Texts. Incidentally,
gossip columnist The MaD hAtTeR has been keeping tabs on Harry,
and has some startling revelations to report in Spyglass
Antoine de St-Exupéry takes centre stage in the ever-delicious
food column, Pig and Pepper;
not only is The Little Prince tender, so is The Cook's warm potato
and Lyonnais sausage salad! Another treat: the new (and always
challenging) LG Acrostic is
finally up.
Several of our favourite articles from the last issue remain
posted: The Midwife, a.k.a. Martha Baker, considers what we really
want (and don't want) from international children's books in ykcowrebbaJ. My Own Invention, by Rhonda Jeffries, warmly celebrates
the life and legacy of the great American storyteller, Augusta
Baker. Jeffrey Canton's LG Lore reviews the too-short career of the late and much-admired
Canadian writer, Teddy Jam. In the Twinkling of an Eye presents a TLG exclusive: Gregory
Maguire's shockingly funny account of a reading teacher turned
TV addict, an excerpt from his forthcoming children's novel, Four Stupid Cupids. And let Picture Window editor Margo Beggs be your guide, à la
Sister Wendy, in exploring the work of contemporary illustrators.
The Caucus-Race, Mirrors and Windows, The Monitor and Personal
Reflections have gone Down the Rabbit Hole (i.e. into the archives, which is where
all good columns go after being posted for two consecutive issues).
They will resurface in a future issue. We hope you will toodo contact us with your comments and ideas. The Looking Glass is a community
of readers and writers, and we like to hear from you.
Editorially yours,
Annette Goldsmith
Volume 4, Issue 2, The Looking Glass, 2000
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"Frame of Reference - Introduction" © Annette Goldsmith, 2000
Send general correspondence regarding The Looking Glass c/o The Editor