Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Walk This World
Novelty Book
For ages 5 to 7
Candlewick Press, 2013 ISBN: 978-0763668952
Many of us dream of going on a trip around the world. We imagine what it would be like to see the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, the Sahara desert, the jungles of the Amazon, and many other wonderful places. The author of this book has decided that she is going to take us to nine cities around the world, and it is up to us to figure out where we are when we get to each of the colorful destinations.
Our journey begins in the author’s hometown of New York City. She encourages us to look for clues that will help us figure out where we are, and to explore the cultures we encounter. At each destination there are detail-rich scenes covering the pages, and lift-the-flaps to look under that will allow us to peek into windows, see underground, and look into buildings.
Our first stop is a city where people can be seen sitting in cafes eating pasties, while others are walking around carrying long, thin loaves of bread, and where a lady with a poodle looks into a handbag shop. There, between two buildings, we see the familiar outline of a tall tower. Could it be that we are in Paris?
Further along in the book we are in a place where there is snow on the ground and flakes drift down from the sky. Some of the buildings have interesting looking onion-shaped domes on top of them, and a person on the street is selling colorful dolls that are egg-shaped. We can see ballet dancers practicing inside one of the buildings, and there is a white, blue, and red striped flag flying from one of the buildings. Which country has a flag like this?
With wonderful illustrations, short pieces of rhyming text, and lots of lift-the-flaps to look under, this is a book that will keep young travelers busy and happy.
