Knit a hat and love thy neighbor
Intergenerational and neighborly love fills every page.
Mrs. Goldman, a white, Jewish woman, has always loved her Latina next-door neighbor, Sophia. She knit baby hats for her and still knits for all her neighbors. Sophia helps by making the pom-poms. “Keeping keppies warm is our mitzvah,” Mrs. Goldman tells her, explaining that a “keppie” (Yiddish) is a head and a “mitzvah” (Hebrew) is a good deed. But Sophia worries that her friend is so busy knitting for others that she leaves her own head too cold. Sophia wants to make a hat for Mrs. Goldman and finally succeeds after much frustration and many dropped stitches, tossing her needles into the air in a moment of triumph—almost. The hat is just not at all pretty, but many pom-poms will surely help…and the gift is delivered, complete with 20 pom-poms. Edwards’ story radiates warmth and coziness and is a delight to share. Karas, who learned to knit for this book, uses softly toned mixed media to showcase the wonderful affection between the little girl and the old lady. His endpapers are a swatch of garter stitches, uneven and dropped. Instructions for knitting the hat and decorating it are included, and every beginning (and experienced) knitter will find it a perfect project.
Knit a hat and love thy neighbor . (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-553-49710-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: June 27, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
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