Extra Yarn

Barnett, Mac. 2012. EXTRA YARN. Ill. by Jon Klassen. New York: Blazer & Bray. ISBN 9780061953385 [Suggested Grade Levels K-3]

REVIEW

Annabelle’s life was cold and void of color until she found a box of yarn filled with every color. She knitted herself a sweater. Since she still had yarn left, she made her dog a sweater too. No matter how many things she knitted, the box never ran out of yarn. Soon everyone and every object in Annabelle’s town were covered in her colorful creations. When the fashionable archduke arrives wanting to buy her never-ending box of yarn, Annabelle would not sell it for any amount of money. The greedy archduke resorts to stealing it, but his plan of an endless supply of yarn backfires when he opens the box and finds it is empty. In his fit of anger, the archduke throws the box out the window. Somehow it magically finds its way back to Annabelle, full of yarn.

The Illustrator’s choice of simple colors and backgrounds bring the snowy, soot-covered town to life. His digital illustrations in which he used an actual sweater, bring color and stitched happiness to even the grumpiest of characters. Jon Klassen won a 2013 Caldecott Honor award for his work on this book.

CONNECTIONS

Plan a knitting program and bring in guest knitters to demonstrate or teach knitting to children.

Hold a winter clothing drive to collect gloves, mittens, hats, and scarves for the less fortunate.

RELATED BOOKS

Other picture books about knitting:

Clifton-Brown, Holly. ANNIE HOOT AND THE KNITTING EXTRAVAGANZA. ISBN 9780761364443

Jensen, Derrick. MISCHIEF IN THE FOREST: A YARN YARN. ISBN 9781604860818

Webster, Sheryl. NOODLE’S KNITTING. ISBN 9781561486946

By Jane Jergensen