Leanne Hatch

Mama knits Cole a baby blanket while she waits for his arrival. He loves the soft blue blanket instantly, and it's with him throughout early childhood: as a blanket, play mat, peekaboo curtain, cave, and cape. But it begins to unravel, until it's only a pile of yarn. Cole's mama takes the yarn and knits it into a sweater for him.

Tender and sweet. Mama holds the knitting needles correctly(!) and the endpapers are beautifully illustrated with a close-up of the knitted blanket.

See also: Joseph Had A Little Overcoat by Simms Taback; Red Shoes by Karen English; While We Wait by Judy Ann Sadler; Rosie and the Pre-loved Dress; No Ordinary Jacket… (más)

Rosie and her mom visit a local thrift shop to drop off donations, and Rosie finds a fabulous new-to-her dress. She notices another girl's name on the tag, and wonders about Mila. Rosie wears the dress until, inevitably, she grows out of it. Rosie adds her name to the tag, and returns to the thrift shop with her mom ("she knew that her favorite dress had many more memories to make"). Almost immediately, another girl claims the dress for her own, and Rosie spies "the most magical pre-loved purse!" A beautiful, positive story of secondhand clothing, with plenty of little Easter eggs in the illustrations.

See also: Red Shoes by Karen English… (más)

First sentence: Violet was in the art supply aisle when she first spotted them. There were small boxes, medium boxes, big boxes, and...super big boxes. The super big box of crayons had all the colors she would ever need. Eighty-four to be exact.

Premise/plot: Violet, our protagonist, is so thrilled and excited to get a super big box of crayons from the art store. However, she's so happy and proud own them and that they are in such pristine, perfect condition--unlike her old crayons which are junk--that she finds it impossible to enjoy them as intended--coloring. But crayons are made for coloring. They are made to bring joy, and that joy is best expressed through their actual, actual use. Can Violet learn something from her LITTLE sister about how to best use her new crayons? (AND perhaps just perhaps a little about how to best live life.)

My thoughts: I really LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. I could relate to it completely. Perhaps not with crayons exactly. But with other things--many other things. (Like fabric). I enjoyed this one. I loved Violet and Marigold--the sisters. I loved the problem and solution.… (más)