We’re stretching our definition of multicultural just this once to include the imaginary worlds that offer so much creative solace to young children in difficult straits. In Julia Glass’ 2006 novel The Whole World Over, Greenie and Alan are parents of a precocious 4-year-old, George. Set in 2001 as the couple weather a serious marital crisis, the story moves from New York City and Maine to a ranch outside Santa Fe, and back, and throughout, the estranged parents each read to George. Wherever he is, the ritual of choosing from among his treasured favorite books (often subtly appropriate for his immediate situation) gives him security and stability.

Glass even folds a review of Owl at Home into her novel. Greenie is reading to George:

He leaned against her for all five tales, which related the neurotically foolish mishaps of a character who was a literalist yet also a romantic. In Greenie’s favorite, Owl made himself a pot of tear-water tea by thinking up, laboriously, as many sad things as he could: chairs with broken legs, forgotten songs, clocks that had stopped, mornings that no one witnessed because everyone was sleeping. More than sad, they were invisible, neglected, or simply lost to memory.

What better book for a little boy whose mother has just driven across the country from Santa Fe to reconcile with her husband in the intense confusion following 9-11?

Other books read to George in the novel include the Dr. Seuss books and…

The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown

The Selkie Girl legend retold by Susan Cooper

Mordant’s Wish by Valerie Coursen

My Life with the Wave by Catherine Cowan (inspired by Octavio Paz)

The Shrinking of Treehorn by Florence Parry Heide

Album of Horses by Marguerite Henry

Bronco Busters by Alison Cragin Herzig

Roar and More by Karla Kuskin

Wee Gillis by Munro Leaf

Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel

Me and My Amazing Body by Joan Sweeney

For bedtime stories, check out Marjorie’s Books at Bedtime posts.

Posted by: Charlotte | This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 20th, 2007 at 11:00 am and is filed under Reading Aloud, The Tiger’s Bookshelf. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Tags: Children's Books, Julia Glass, Owl at Home, post-9-11 books, reading to children, The Whole World Over