around here we really aim to live seasonally. we eat seasonally from our csa and garden, we go out and enjoy the day in all forms of weather, we keep a seasonal nature table and next to that table i keep a box of seasonal books. today's favorite book is from our winter book basket.
i am a collector of jan brett's books.
the mitten is one of our new favorites that i recently found at a local thrift store. it is based on an ukranian folk tale, about a little boy who loses his white mitten in the snow. before he eventually finds it, it is made a home by several animals- everything from a mouse to a bear. when the boy finds his mitten and returns home, his grandmother checks to first see if he is ok, and second to see if he has both mittens. when he hands them to her one is the normal size and the other is the size of a boxing glove.
my kids love to see the the animals piling in the mitten, scared that the owl might eat the mouse, etc. they also think it's hilarious to see the giant mitten at the end of the story!
what makes this book really special are the detailed illustrations. it is set in the ukraine and the clothes the boy and his grandmother wear are amazing. and in jan brett's signature style the borders of the book sum up what happened on the previous page, and foreshadow what is coming up. some of her drawings even look like embroidery. i also can't help but love the fact that the grandma knit these little mittens for her grandson. anything that echos the theme of handmade with love becomes a regular in the rotation for us!
so fantastic!
this is definitely one to add to your winter book list!
3 comments:
That is such a sweet book! We don't own it, but I've seen it. I love her illustrations. I really want to find a spot for a "nature table," too! I usually set out our seasonal books on the coffee table.
I want to come up and go to your thrift store with you sometime.
oh do! that would be fun! unless, of course, you try to buy all the good stuff- then there would be a definite throw down.
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