The Mitten [Hardcover]

Jan Brett (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 5, 1989 | Age Range: 4 - 8 years | Lexile Measure: 800L (What's this?)

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.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A Ukrainian boy named Nicki wants his grandmother Baba to knit snow-white mittens for him. She warns her grandson that a white mitten will be hard to find if he loses it in the snow, but of course he promptly does just that! What happens next is the surprising part, as a mole takes refuge in the lost mitten, then a rabbit, then a hedgehog, an owl, a badger, and a fox. If you think the mitten might be a wee bit stretched out at this point, just wait: "Then a big bear sniffed at the mitten. The animals were packed in tight, but the bear didn't care. He crawled in anyway." When a tiny mouse squeezes in, her whiskers tickle the bear's nose. He sneezes, and "Aaaaa-aaaaa-ca-chew!" all the animals fly out of their crocheted cave. As the mitten sails through the air, Nicki spots it, reclaims it, and takes it home to show his smiling Baba.

Jan Brett is the illustrator of many well-known folktales, fairy tales, and poems, such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears and The Owl and the Pussycat, by Edward Lear. Her special signature in her detailed artwork is the intricate borders, seen in this book as birch-bark panels with embroidered details and mitten-shaped vignettes offering additional insights into the story line. Brett is at her best when she illustrates animals, and the expressions on the faces of her creatures are a delight. She carefully researched the costumes, furniture, and house in this traditional Ukrainian tale--all are authentic. A fine story to read on a frosty night with a cup of hot chocolate, and if you ever get your fill of The Mitten, you can always try its delightfully original companion book, The Hat, winner of the 1998 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. (Ages 4 to 8)

From Publishers Weekly

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.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile; REI/CAS edition (October 5, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039921920X
• ISBN-13: 978-0399219207
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 10.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (119 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #201,581 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jan Brett is the author of the New York Times bestselling Gingerbread Friends, The Three Snow Bears, and The Mitten, as well as many other classics. She lives in Norwell, Massachusetts.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars The board book lacks the impact of the full-size editions! December 6, 2002

By A Customer

Format:Board book

I bought this a few years ago on the strength of all the good reviews on amazon.com, but my toddler/pre-school daughter never really liked the book much, and the illustrations never grabbed her. This year I bought the Jan Brett Christmas Treasury--a collection of her winter and Christmas stories--even though I was sorry that The Mitten was a duplicate. Then I discovered what a difference the format makes! The illustrations on 11 x 11-inch pages are eye-popping and reveal the story so much better. And what the description here doesn't tell you is that the text in the board book is *abridged,* which simplifies the story line to a bare minimum and doesn't connect the illustrations together as well. Spring for the hardbound full-size or used paperback full-size, or spend not much more for the many books in the Christmas Treasury and you'll get a better read for your money!

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully Illustrated Whimsical Tale April 25, 2000

By Wayne A. Smith VINE™ VOICE

Format:Board book

Currently my children's favorite book, The Mitten scores on several levels. First, the art is wonderful. Seven or eight animals are pictured in the book (and very well drawn) which makes it a visual feast. Each two page spread also includes two smaller "summary" and "foreshadowing" pictures that relate to the previous and following page. It makes for a spread that has a lot of possibilities for young pre-readers in terms of connecting the story and describing what each character has done and will be doing. The tale itself is whimsical and amuses the pre-school set. A fine children's book.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is an excellent choice for kids of all ages!! December 14, 1998

By [e-mail] Bridget Williams

Format:Board book

As a kindergarten teacher, I am always on the lookout for ways to encorporate literature into my everyday lessons. Jan Brett's The Mitten is a must for the first day of winter. The children love the illustrations and guessing how many animals will fit into the mitten. They "read" the book to each other long after the lesson is over. The class also publishes their own book about what could fit in their mitten. The Mitten is a delightful story with predictability and loveable animal characters.