The Mitten String is a story about a family who has a wool farm. They make wool for the entire town and their daughter, Ruthie, makes mittens. One day the family comes across a deaf woman and her son who need help. They take the woman and her son in and Ruthie's child innocence and imagination flourish to help the woman and her son navigate the challenges of being deaf. The story is heartwarming and comforting. It shows how children, although small, can make a big difference and are able to see the needs of others. ( )

Ruthie Tober's family raises sheep, spins the wool into yarn, and knits the yarn into mittens. When Ruthie and her parents encounter a Deaf woman who communicates with them via a slate, they invite her and her baby to spend the night. Ruthie notices that at night, Bayla ties a string from her hand to baby Aaron's so that she will notice if he wakes in the night, and that gives Ruthie the idea to knit a pair of mittens to connect them - and then to knit pairs of mittens connected by a string so other children wouldn't lose them. Her mother praises her for being both clever and kind.

Back matter includes a knitting glossary and sign language glossary, as well as an author's note. ( )

Ruthie Tober and her family knit mittens for their village to warm their hands. One day, they stumble upon a deaf woman, Bayla, and her baby, Aaron, whose wagon is broken and who need help. The Tobers invite the pair to spend the night at their house, and Ruthie knits a pair of mittens that are connected with a string so that Bayla can tend to her baby if he wakes up during the night. At the end of the book is a glossary of several knitting terms along with illustrations of some others.

This story is so heartwarming and is a great tool to teach children about helping those in need, especially those who have it harder than most. The colors in the illustrations are just the right tone, and the illustrations help the reader to feel like he or she is in the story with Ruthie and the others. I also liked learning about solutions that deaf mothers come up with so that they may successfully care for their babies (mothers tying the pairs of mittens together with string so they can use their other senses like touch to realize that their baby has woken up during the night and/or is disturbed). ( )

The book follows a girl named Ruthie whose family raises sheep to sell wool. Ruthie's whole family makes different things with the wool, but Ruthie is known for making pairs of mittens and selling them. One day, Ruthie meets a deaf woman and her young child, who end up staying with Ruthie and her family. When walking through the house at night, Ruthie sees that the woman has a bright blue piece of yarn tied around her wrist and her baby's wrist as the pair sleep. When the baby wakes up in the night to cry, the yarn is tugged on, which alerts the woman so she can wake up and comfort her baby. Ruthie is amazed by this, and she decides to knit the woman and her baby a special pair of mittens inspired by the blue yarn. This book is inspired by the author's great-great aunt, who did a similar thing as the woman in the book did with her baby. I think the story is really cute and the illustrations pair wonderfully with the text. The book also includes sign language words in the back of the book, which is always great to see. ( )

The Mitten String is a lovely book about a girl, Ruthie, who used her skill of knitting to aid a deaf mother with her baby. Ruthie is very good at knitting, so she helps her mother knit mittens for everyone in the village, especially the children who continuously lost one of their mittens. Ruthie sees how the deaf mother takes care of her baby boy with the string attached by their wrists. Ruthie knows the woman does an amazing job taking care of her baby with the string invention she has made, but Ruthie wants to help herself by making a pair of mittens for the mom and baby, so they can still be connected but their hands will be warm. This book is a great way to introduce the deaf community to students, as it shows a deaf mother living her life, without any extra help needed. It is a great representation of the deaf community, even it takes place in a time when people rode in wagons. A historical and greatly informative book that is great for all readers. ( )