The Mitten

Bibliographic Information: Brett, J. (1989). The Mitten. Illus. Jan Brett. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Brief Annotation: Nikki asks his Grandmother (Nana) to knit him a pair of mittens made from white wool. He goes outside for an adventure and soon looses one of his mittens. The woodland animals find Nikki's mitten warm and cozy. Nikki finds his missing mitten, blowing in the wind, against the blue sky and a bit stretched out.
Genre: Ukranian Folktale.
Grade Level: K-2
Readers who will like this: Readers who enjoy outdoor adventures and stories about woodland animals will enjoy this sweet folktale.
Response/Rating: The illustrations in this story are sweet, detailed, give a sense of old-world charm and warmth. Every detail was thoughtfully included down to the different animal tracks. Brett gives movement and texture to the animals' fur. Every page is knit together on a background of birch sheets. The idea that all these different animals get along in their search for a warm place to be is a story that even adults need to remember. I rate this book 4 of 4.
One question you would ask before a read aloud: From the cover picture, how do you guess these animals might have ended up in the same mitten? Even though these animals are all different, do you think they will get along or fight? Do you know anyone in your family who knits or does some sort of hand craft? What is your prediction about what will happen with this mitten?