Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
My Listography: My Amazing Life in Lists
Illustrator: Nathaniel Russell
Novelty Book
For ages 8 to 13
Chronicle Books , 2008 ISBN: 978-0811863995
People often forget how wonderful and “terrific” they are. They forget to celebrate their own unique ways and to reflect on the things that are important to them. Thanks to Lisa Nola, young people can now keep a record of the things that make them who they are. The record they are going to keep is going to be in the form of lists, which makes the writing of this personal narrative very easy, and a lot less intimidating than, say, a diary or a journal. Facing a blank page can be daunting, but everyone knows what to do when they are asked to write a list.
The first list we are invited to create is a list of our favorite friends. We then go on to list our favorite songs, foods, movies, names, bands, books, movie stars, sports, gifts, games, and more. The author also asks us to list the places we have visited, the pets we have had, the times we have been “in the most trouble,” the nice things we have done for others and more. These kinds of lists will serve as a “time capsule” of sorts that we can look back on in years to come to remember the things that we have done.
When all the lists, fifty in number, are looked at as a whole they will provide anyone who reads this book with a biography of the person who has written it. The writer might like to share the book with others, or keep it as a “private creation” that he or she saves and treasures.
Taking the time to reflect on our achievements, our hopes and dreams, our memories and our adventures is an important thing to do, and this book provides young people with a tool that they can use to begin just such a journey of self-discovery.
