THE MITTEN
Scholastic Press 2009
Written by Jim Aylesworth
Illustrated by Barbara McClintock
One day, while sledding in the snow, a little boy loses his red woolen
mitten.
A passing squirrel finds that the cozy mitten is the perfect place to
warm his icy toes. So he sque-e-e-ezes inside. But the squirrel is not
thie only animal with that idea. How many animals can fit inside the
little boy's mitten? Jim Aylesworth's fresh, spirited rendition of this
favorite classic tale, and Barbara McClintock's delightfully expressive
animals bring the story to its surprising, explosive climax.
THE MITTEN is ideal for Venn diagram classroom projects comparing other
versions of this old Ukrainian folk tale. ( Ages 4-8 )
*Oprah's Book Club 2010 Kid's Reading List Selection
*Horn Book/Fainfair 10 Best Picture Books
*Parents' Choice award/silver
*Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum award
*Starred reviews: Horn Book, School Library
Journal, Publishers Weekly,
The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, Booklist
“[McClintock's] lifelike animals recall Joel Chandler Harris's folk tales, and the naturalism - which is an unlikely but inspired vehicle for comedy - is full of surprises.” — Starred, Publishers Weekly
“Aylesworth brings a folksy voice to the story...[McClintock] invests her animals with enormous personality and the scene with an absurd humor with the use of sequential vignettes, making it both tonally and visually quite different from Jan Brett's 1992 version. Fresh.” — Kirkus
“It might seem that between Alvin Tresselt's THE MITTEN and Jan Brett's very popular, lush version there would be no room for another take on the old Ukrainian story. Aylesworth's polished story with McClintock's energetic pictures prove that THE MITTEN can hold one more. Adults may go for the prettiness of Brett's version, but children will love the great humor of this one, especially McClintock's Paul Galdone-like animals and their expressions.” — Starred, Horn Book
“...Aylesworth and McClintock's styles marry well here, creating a perfectly paced book with an old fashioned feel. A satisfying balance of cozy comforts and slapstick farce, this will be a top choice for winter story hours.” — Starred, Booklist
“...[Aylesworth's] narrative draws readers into the story and begs to be read aloud. [McClintock's] sweet-faced animals exhibit human personality traits in both conversation and facial expressions. ...[this book] belongs in every collection.” — Starred, School Library Journal
“This is a fresh and wonderful take on a familiar tale that deserves to be shared extensively.” — Starred, The Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books