This unique fantasy, written in 1922 and first translated from the Italian in this edition, takes readers to an imaginary world, perhaps earning this tale a spot on the bookshelf between Alice in Wonderland
and Where the Wild Things Are
. The narrator, now an adult, recalls a tale from when he was a rather insouciant 10-year- old and locked in a room as punishment for a forgotten offense. In the room, resting on the mantle is a large mirror in front of which is a chess set. While gazing at the chess pieces’ reflections, the boy is startled when the White King suddenly speaks to him, inviting him into the mirror. Once the narrator is inside, the king explains many of the mirror’s secrets—most notably that the reflection of everyone who has ever looked into the mirror now inhabits the vast expanse within. After meeting an assortment of people (including his own grandmother and the artisan who crafted the mirror) and exploring the vast landscape on his own, the boy, tired of the inhabitants’ inactivity, is ready to return home (“Sure enough, there they all were... sitting around, some here and some there, looking upward with that bored look of theirs”). By simply falling asleep, the boy is able to leave home, leaving readers to wonder if the adventure was simply a dream. The narrator’s dry wit, reminiscent of P.G. Wodehouse, makes for an appealing journey and, coupled with the whimsical pen-and-ink drawings, a charming package with an timeless air. Ages 10-up. (June)
