Macomber, a bestselling author for adults, and Carney join forces for an amusing story about a boy who receives a handmade, striped sweater as a birthday gift from his grandmother. Cameron hates the sweater with a passion due to its vibrant colors and large buttons. He tries to put his sweater on the dog, hide it, give it away and ruin it with stains, but finally he has to wear it when Grandma comes to visit. She explains that she chose each color for a specific memory of her grandson, and Cameron changes his mind and decides the sweater looks fine after all. This resulting change of heart seems awfully adult for an opinionated little boy, and his grandmother’s explanation of her color choices will be a bit too sticky-sweet for many kids (and some parents). Nguyen’s illustrations have a surrealistic feeling, with a dark, moody palette, shadowy backgrounds and oddly robotic eyes for the characters. Final pages include instructions for knitting and a pattern for the striped sweater. (Picture book. 3-7)
