Tag Archives: knitting

The Elves and the Shoemaker

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There was once a good shoemaker
who became very poor.

At last he had only one piece of leather
to make one pair of shoes.

“Well,” said the shoemaker to his wife,
“I will cut the leather tonight
and make the shoes in the morning.”

The story that follows is full of craftsmanship, thoughtfulness, generosity, good fortune, and magic. I loved this book as a child (my mom bought it from someone going door-to-door pulling a wagon full of used books, if I remember correctly) and the boys really enjoy it now.

Author: Freya Littledale/The Grimm Brothers
Illustrator: Brinton Turkle

Goodnight Moon

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Another book that needs no introduction, Goodnight Moon was part of my oldest’s bedtime routine for about a year, beginning when he was around six months old.  We hoped the hypnotic words, the coziness of the pictures, and the unchanging routine would help him (finally) go to sleep.  And, as he got older, we enjoyed looking for the mouse hiding in each picture of the room.

Author:  Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrator:  Clement Hurd

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

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I’m not going to pretend this book needs an introduction.  I read it on my honeymoon and now I’ve read it to my six year old.  I loved it then.  He loves it now. 

Author:  J.K. Rowling
Illustrator: Mary Grandpre

The Three Billy Goats Fluff

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Trolls usually don’t have a great reputation (the cute troll family in Frozen is definitely an outlier).  But how would you like it if every time you tried to sleep someone went trip-trapping all over your ceiling?  Poor Mr. Troll hasn’t slept well since he moved under the bridge leading to a lush green field.  How can he get the rest he needs while letting his neighbors (the goats of the title) get the grass they need?  Luckily, Mother Goat is a knitter and she works up an unorthodox solution.  This story is fun to read and never quite overly cute and fluffy.  My youngest particularly enjoys it.

Author:  Rachael Mortimer
Illustrator:  Liz Pichon

The Fierce Little Woman and the Wicked Pirate

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A fierce little woman’s solitary life (filled with knitting, playing the bagpipes, and fishing) is suddenly interrupted by a self-proclaimed wicked pirate with an adorable parrot and an utterly unexpected, dark, secret.  A spirited standoff ensues with an surprising and very satisfying outcome.

The boys particularly love the parrot and pirate.  I’m partial to that fierce little knitting woman.  But we all love the very happy ending.

Author:  Joy Cowley
Illustrator:  Sarah Davis

Socks for Supper

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When a couple of farmers eat one turnip too many, it kicks off a truly unexpected chain of events.  Bartering, knitting, a cow, and Christmas all come together to create a wonderful surprise that the kids are happy to see unfold time and again.

Most of our Christmas books are only brought out between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.  But we all have silently agreed that this one can stay out year round.

Author:  Jack Kent
Illustrator: Jack Kent