School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-By Jan Brett. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Booklist Review
Ages 3-6. Using an inventive layout, Brett retells a Ukrainian folktale about a boy's lost mitten that provides refuge for a melange of forest animals. Double-page spreads feature large central illustrations framed by birch-bark panels. A mitten-shaped window appears on each side of the spread, the one on the left showing the boy's search for his mitten, the one on the right anticipating the action of the following spread. For instance, in the illustration showing a mole approaching the mitten, the borders depict the boy leaping over a snow-covered log and startling a rabbit who then runs from its shelter and, on the next page, finds the mitten. In this way, Brett cleverly foreshadows the upcoming events, which children will quickly catch onto. While some may find the page design overly elaborate, the artwork is nevertheless delightful. The cool, bluish whites of the snowy scenes contrast freshly with the richly colored patterns and details of the Ukrainian clothes. Brett depicts the animals with naturalistic detail, yet conveys their feelings and personalities with subtlety, clarity, and humor. While Alvin Tresselt's The Mitten [BKL N 1 64] is still in print and a staple of winter-story programs, libraries will want to offer this splendid version as well. --Carolyn Phelan |
Horn Book Review
Brett's classic adaption of a folktale (in which a mitten lost in the snow expands to provide shelter for a number of cold woodland creatures) has been incongruously issued in a board-book version. Fans of the illustrator should stick to the original picture book to get the full impact of Brett's decorative, narrative-filled borders, which are downsized here. From HORN BOOK 1996, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Kirkus Review
In comparison to Tresselt's lively rendition, a diffuse, wordy retelling of this favorite tale, with the boy getting his much-stretched mitten back. On the other hand, Brett's decorative, bordered, intricately detailed illustrations are sure to appeal. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission. |