Book Summary

This is the story of a young boy who loses his white mitten in the snow. One by one, woodland creatures claim it as their home, each larger than the last. Then a mouse crawls in and the mitten bursts, spilling the creatures out in the snow. This story was adapted from a Ukranian folktale.

Content

This book contains a lot of text, which may be overwhelming for younger readers. It is meant to be read aloud instead of as an independent read for pre-K to K. Both the characters and the setting are well depicted by the illustrations.

Illustrations

The illustrations are very well done and one of my favorite parts about the book. In the margins, the illustrator/author gives a sneak peek as to what will happen next, introducing the concept of foreshadowing. She also gives you insight into the boy's activities as the animals are all cramming into the mitten. This adds to the authenticity of the illustrations.

Format

The sentences may be too long for this age group. The board book version is made to appeal to younger readers. The illustration on the front cover gives some indication as to the contents of the book, but the story is mostly a surprise.

Overall Evaluation

I have always enjoyed reading this book to my children. The illustrations are fantastic and the story is sweet. The moral is that there is always room for friends, especially those that are bigger and scarier than you!

For Future Professionals to Use With Children

This book could be used to help students make predictions, based on the picture inserts. It may also help explain cause and effect and be used for lessons involving sequencing.