The mitten /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

When Nicki drops his white mitten in the snow, he goes on without realizing that it is missing.

One by one, woodland animals find it and crawl in; first, a curious mole, then a rabbit, a badger and others, each one larger than the last. Finally, a big brown bear is followed in by a tiny brown mouse and what happens next makes for a wonderfully funny climax.

As the story of the animals in the mitten unfolds, the reader can see Nicki in the boarders of each page, walking through the woods unaware of what is going on.

Once again Jan Brett has created a dramatic and beautiful picture book in her distinctive style. She brings the animals to life with warmth and humor, and her illustrations are full of visual delights and details faithful to the Ukrainian tradition from which the story comes.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Baba, Nicki's grandmother, knits pure white mittens for him, even though she is afraid that he will lose them in the snow. Sure enough, the first time Nicki is out, he drops one and some animals promptly move into its snug wool interior. First comes a mole, then a rabbit, a hedgehog, an owl, a badger, a fox, a bear and, finally, a mouse. That mouse tickles the bear's nose and he sneezes, dislodging all of the animals at once. Nicki finds his mitten, and takes it home, but Baba is left to wonder about how it became so enormously stretched out. Brett's magnificent paintings feature her usual array of folk details, and this time, intricate knitting tracks, ornate embroidery, the crusty, peeling texture of the birch bark borders and the exquisite patterns found in Baba's homey rooms. Readers will sit back, suspend belief and welcome this tall tale from the Ukrainian tradition. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 3-By Jan Brett. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Ages 3-6. Using an inventive layout, Brett retells a Ukrainian folktale about a boy's lost mitten that provides refuge for a melange of forest animals. Double-page spreads feature large central illustrations framed by birch-bark panels. A mitten-shaped window appears on each side of the spread, the one on the left showing the boy's search for his mitten, the one on the right anticipating the action of the following spread. For instance, in the illustration showing a mole approaching the mitten, the borders depict the boy leaping over a snow-covered log and startling a rabbit who then runs from its shelter and, on the next page, finds the mitten. In this way, Brett cleverly foreshadows the upcoming events, which children will quickly catch onto. While some may find the page design overly elaborate, the artwork is nevertheless delightful. The cool, bluish whites of the snowy scenes contrast freshly with the richly colored patterns and details of the Ukrainian clothes. Brett depicts the animals with naturalistic detail, yet conveys their feelings and personalities with subtlety, clarity, and humor. While Alvin Tresselt's The Mitten [BKL N 1 64] is still in print and a staple of winter-story programs, libraries will want to offer this splendid version as well. --Carolyn Phelan

Horn Book Review

Brett's classic adaption of a folktale (in which a mitten lost in the snow expands to provide shelter for a number of cold woodland creatures) has been incongruously issued in a board-book version. Fans of the illustrator should stick to the original picture book to get the full impact of Brett's decorative, narrative-filled borders, which are downsized here. From HORN BOOK 1996, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Book Review

In comparison to Tresselt's lively rendition, a diffuse, wordy retelling of this favorite tale, with the boy getting his much-stretched mitten back. On the other hand, Brett's decorative, bordered, intricately detailed illustrations are sure to appeal. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Bestselling children's book author and illustrator Jan Brett was born on December 1, 1949. She decided to be an illustrator when she was a child and is known for her detailed and carefully-researched work.

Brett grew up in New England and attended the Boston Museum School. Her books have received much acclaim by publications including Newsweek, The New Yorker, Parents magazine, Redbook, and Publishers Weekly. In 2005 Brett earned the Boston Public Library's Lifetime Achievement Award. Her book Three Little Dassies was published in 2010 and made the New York Times bestseller list. Other of her works that have made the New York Times best seller list are: Home for Christmas 2011, Mossy 2012, Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella., 2014 The Animal's Santa.

(Bowker Author Biography)