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 too—do 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

Site design and content, except where noted, © The Looking Glass 2000.
"Frame of Reference - Introduction" © Annette Goldsmith, 2000
Send general correspondence regarding The Looking Glass c/o The Editor