{"id":35520,"date":"2018-11-05T23:43:42","date_gmt":"2018-11-06T03:43:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=35520"},"modified":"2018-11-05T23:43:42","modified_gmt":"2018-11-06T03:43:42","slug":"review-of-how-to-knit-a-monster-by-annemarie-van-haeringen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=35520","title":{"rendered":"Review of How to Knit a Monster, by Annemarie van Haeringen"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>How to Knit a Monster<\/em><\/p>\n

by Annemarie van Haeringen<\/p>\n

Clarion Books, 2018. First published in the Netherlands in 2014. 32 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

This book was first published in the Netherlands in 2014. It is not eligible for the Newbery. I should not have taken time to read it. On top of that, I have a pet peeve against books that show someone knitting a complete sweater in less than a month \u2013 and this book does much, much worse than that.<\/p>\n

And yet, all that said — I did read this book today and was enchanted. The speedy knitting is all part of this amazing goat\u2019s magic.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how the book begins:<\/p>\n

Greta is a goat, a white goat. When she goes outdoors in wintertime, she\u2019s almost invisible.<\/p>\n

She is a very, very good knitter. She knits socks for everyone she knows and for many she doesn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

Today Greta decides to knit something different. How about a whole goat?<\/p>\n

She tries a little one first.<\/p>\n

Click, click, clickety click go her knitting needles, and before long a little goat slides off her needle.<\/p>\n

What fun! Greta knits more little goats so they can play together.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The illustration here shows several goats, with splashes of color in various places and trailing yarn. They are cavorting about happily, with two butting heads.<\/p>\n

But then \u201cmean Mrs. Sheep\u201d comes by and badmouths Greta\u2019s knitting.<\/p>\n

Greta is upset. She isn\u2019t watching her knitting.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll see who knits the fastest,<\/em> Greta thinks angrily. Clickclickclicketyclick go her needles.<\/p>\n

Mrs. Sheep keeps talking. Greta still isn\u2019t watching her knitting.<\/p>\n

She decides it\u2019s finished and ends it off . . .<\/p>\n

. . . and a wolf jumps off the needle!<\/p>\n

The little goats run away.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Well, the wolf deals with Mrs. Sheep. Greta hides just in time \u2013 in a closet with more yarn, thankfully. Because next she knits a tiger to catch the wolf. But the tiger is hungry\u2026.<\/p>\n

And what is especially lovely about this book is how it all comes together \u2013 or, um, apart \u2013 at the end. (No one is permanently damaged, but Mrs. Sheep does learn a lesson.) Though Greta does need to learn to pay more attention to what she knits!<\/p>\n

So this knitter, for one, truly appreciates the genius of Greta, whose knitting is just plain magical. Besides this being a really fun story to tell, all the better to convince children that knitters have magical powers, right?<\/p>\n

hmhco.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/how_to_knit_a_monster.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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