The Mitten (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Once there was a boy named Nicki who wanted his new mittens made from wool as white as snow..." (more)

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.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile; Rei/Cas edition (October 5, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039921920X
• ISBN-13: 978-0399219207
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,913 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #9 in	Books > Children's Books > Literature > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Multicultural
  #9 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( B ) > Brett, Jan
  #13 in	Books > Children's Books > Literature > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > European

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	Wayne A. Smith (Wilmington, DE) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Mitten Board Book Edition (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.

18 of 18 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 (Walden, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mitten Board Book Edition (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.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book, March 16, 2004

By	ardnam "ardnam" (NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mitten Board Book Edition (Board book)

This is another great retelling by Jan Brett. I read this book to my second grade class every year. You can download a mitten and the animals from the story at Jan Brett's web site. After I read this delightful story to my class, the children color the animals and cut them out along with the mitten. I read the story again and they act it out with their animals. They take the mitten and animals home to do a retelling with their families. The children absolutely love this story and the activities.