Miss Mary’s Christmas Mittens

Noticing that her students lack mittens for playing in the snow, white-presenting knitting enthusiast Miss Mary, “everyone’s favorite teacher,” decides to whip up a pair for each child at Christmas. But when the shop is out of yarn and no more shipments are due, the teacher ransacks her ample hand-knit wardrobe for the project: “There went her slippers, pot holders, and afghan. More and more and more,” writes Noble. Andriani’s friendly, thin-lined art depicts the racially diverse but apparently solely Christmas-celebrating community; it’s a quaint neighborhood setting in which Miss Mary leaves mittens on each child’s porch “at dawn on Christmas morning.” If the amount of wool garnered seems rather more than necessary in this earnest tribute to hand-made gifts, images of the teacher tucking into her project fireside—replete with cuppa and kitties—are a knitter’s dream. Back matter includes instructions for knitting mitten ornaments. Ages 6–7. (Sept.)