Annie Hoot and the Knitting Extravaganza

Newcomer Clifton-Brown's bright, sweet watercolors far outmatch the slight story they accompany. The book has a low-key, quirky charm, but the plot does not fully develop the characters, and the exposition is slow ("Annie Hoot was a kind and scatterbrained little owl. She lived in a tree house deep in the woods"). When the other owls spurn Annie's knitted gifts, she knits herself a hot air balloon, a boat sail, and a parachute, as she travels to the rainforest and African plains. It's not until she arrives in the Arctic that her knitwear is appreciated. When she runs out of yarn, Annie returns home to find that, for no reason other than that they missed her, her friends are now eager to learn to knit. The story seems to be more about Annie's knitting projects ("polka-dot pullovers for the penguins... a wonderful woolly waistcoat for the walrus!") than about friendship or what to do with an unwanted gift. Nonetheless, Annie's whimsical creations, and the sight of the animals toting knit umbrellas and wearing intricately designed scarves and Nordic hats exude charm. Ages 4–9. (Sept.)