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A Ukrainian boy named Nicki wants his grandmother Baba to knit snow-white mittens for him. She warns her grandson that a white mitten will be hard to find if he loses it in the snow, but of course he promptly does just that! What happens next is the surprising part, as a mole takes refuge in the lost mitten, then a rabbit, then a hedgehog, an owl, a badger, and a fox. If you think the mitten might be a wee bit stretched out at this point, just wait: "Then a big bear sniffed at the mitten. The animals were packed in tight, but the bear didn't care. He crawled in anyway." When a tiny mouse squeezes in, her whiskers tickle the bear's nose. He sneezes, and "Aaaaa-aaaaa-ca-chew!" all the animals fly out of their crocheted cave. As the mitten sails through the air, Nicki spots it, reclaims it, and takes it home to show his smiling Baba.
Jan Brett is the illustrator of many well-known folktales, fairy tales, and poems, such asGoldilocks and the Three BearsandThe Owl and the Pussycat, by Edward Lear. Her special signature in her detailed artwork is the intricate borders, seen in this book as birch-bark panels with embroidered details and mitten-shaped vignettes offering additional insights into the story line. Brett is at her best when she illustrates animals, and the expressions on the faces of her creatures are a delight. She carefully researched the costumes, furniture, and house in this traditional Ukrainian tale--all are authentic. A fine story to read on a frosty night with a cup of hot chocolate, and if you ever get your fill ofThe Mitten, you can always try its delightfully original companion book,The Hat, winner of the 1998 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. (Ages 4 to 8)
Great book for little ones What a great story! I have the original version published way back when the pages were just blue and white. The story is a little different now with current updates but it still remains a great story for little ones. It's cute to see all the animals that try to squeeze into a tiny mitten to keep warm. A little far-fetched when a bear gets in but still, it is very imaginative and fun. A library classic!
Beautiful artwork! I love the artwork in this book, and I am tempted to buy all of Jan Brett's other books for that reason. BUT my 15 month old has no interest in this book; maybe she'll like it better when she gets older.Small, short and sweet This is a small handy for the car sort of book. The story is short and a pleasure to read as it reviews the names of different animals found in the forest. This was given to my little one as present from my Ukrainian grandmother whom we call "Baba", I like that we can relate to a few of the books details, like the gramdmother shown an ethnic blouse like the ones worn in the old country, and the boy is called Nick like many Ukrainian boys making the book even more authentic.
