Extra Yarn
Interest
Level: Preschool – Third Grade
Reading
Level: 2.5 (Second Grade-Fifth Month)
Theme: Inspiration/Kindness/Perseverance
Genre:
Fiction
Awards:
Caldecott Honor
Summary:
This is an inspiring story about a little girl named Annabelle who
lives in a dull and colorless town. One cold afternoon, Annabelle ventures
outside and finds a box filled with yarn of every color. Annabelle, delighted
by the box of yarn, makes herself a sweater and discovers that she has some extra yarn. She then makes her dog,
Mars, a sweater and finds that she still has extra yarn. As the plot progresses, Annabelle continues to meet
people who comment on her colorful sweater, some are even jealous and angry at
her for being such a distraction. In her kind nature, Annabelle makes these
people a sweater, too. Eventually, things begin to change in her drab town,
until one day when an archduke arrives and demands to see Annabelle.
Reflection:
This picture book has a very simplistic, but steadfast plot. The
main character, Annabelle, shows that with determination and a kind-hearted
spirit one can change the world. This is a wonderful story of love, friendship,
and charity. The illustrations are modest and subdued; made up of tranquil
blacks and whites. Despite this, the reader is drawn in; the story relies on
these simple drawings and expressions of the characters. If there were no words
in this book, the reader would still be transported from page to page with total
understanding of the conflict and resolution.
This is truly a captivating picture book! Extra Yarn would be an exceptional book to include in a Character
Education lesson. It certainly supports the belief that one person can in fact change
the world!
Classroom Questions:
1.
Why was the
box empty for the Archduke?
2.
What if the
Archduke had found yarn in the box, what do you think he would have done with it?
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