Extra Yarn

Having previously purchased "I Want My Hat Back", I purchased this for my daughter for Christmas. This book is a more traditional fairy tale then "I Want My Hat Back". The story is a sweet one, with a nice message about generosity. The illustrations are wonderfully done, the yarn is very striking against the background.

This is a great book with beautiful drawings. A little girl knits sweaters for everyone she knows, even the crabby people, and then goes on to knit sweaters for houses, trees, etc. It's a sweet story my 4- and 7-year-old granddaughters enjoy hearing read over and over.

This is a very neat book. The artwork is appealing, the humor is subtle but very fun. The story has kid-appeal with some classical storytelling elements, and seems loveable enough to reread and retell over and over.
However, I purchased it for a very young 3-year-old from a knitting family and think I'll need to save it until she is a little older to give as a gift.

My two worries:
1. The archbishop sends three robbers into Annabelle's house to take the yarn while she is sleeping.
2. When he finds the yarn box empty, the archbishop curses Annabelle: "Little girl, I curse you with my family's curse! You'll never be happy again!"

While these are classical fairytale elements and not especially frightening in the context of this book, it should be noted that Annabelle's home, town, and school are not a fairy tale setting - they're modern. Very young children who are still figuring out fantasy and reality do well with "bad guys" in castles, on pirate ships, and in other settings that make it clear that it is "not here". This story could create some anxiety for a very young child about robbers coming to their home in the night.
As for the curse, it just didn't seem like something I'd introduce to a toddler or very young, sensitive preschooler.

Don't get me wrong - I love the book! I think it is best suited for ages 3 1/2 - 6, with perhaps a "word to the wise" given to parents of children who are worriers, especially at bedtime. 4 stars for the artwork, enjoyable storyline, and good "conversation starter" of an ending. It would have been 5 stars if those two pages were worded in an ever-so-slightly different manner.

This book was purchased for the special knitters in my life. My wife recently passed away and I bought several copies of this book in remembrance of her and her knitting friends. The book expresses the magic of knitting for those who engage in it.

A child learning to knit will delight in this tale of a girl who can't stop knitting. The illustrations are delightful and the story funny but heart-warming. My 7 and 8 year old knitter grandaughters loved it!

This book is great for an interactive read aloud. Themes such as acceptance, greed, inner strength, and the critical lens of power make it a great read for grade 3-5. Of course K-2 kids love it as well!

I love children's books and this is definitely one of my favorites. The artwork is sweet and whimsical nd the story is easy for kids to follow and there is a great message. It is not super short, so it makes for a good read. My daughter loves this and requests it often before bedtime.

The illustrations are very nice but I wasn't that impressed with the story/writing. Girl knits, someone steals her yarn, then the yarn magically makes it's way back to her. My kids enjoyed it. That is all that matters.

A nice story with some silliness and good triumphing over greed. My audience (3 yr. old granddaughter) enjoys it much more than I thought she would. It's actually better the second or third time through.

I bought this book because of the amazing reviews, which led me to believe that this was akin to "Where the Wild Things Are," or another such amazing children's book. While I will not deny that it is good, and that the illustrations are also very well done, it is not destined to be a classic.