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21st out of 35 books
—
8 voters
Pelle's New Suit
by
Elsa Beskow
Pelle has a lamb whose coat grows longer and longer, while Pelle's Sunday suit grows shorter! Pelle shears the lamb, and the wool is carded, spun, dyed and woven. Finally, the tailor makes a new suit for Pelle.
Hardcover, 30 pages
Published
June 1st 1989
by Floris Books
(first published 1912)
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May 20, 2012
Gundula
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fans of Elsa Beskow, children who like old-fashioned family tales
I read Pelle's New Suit in French, Paul et son habit neuf (because my library only had the French version), and I loved both the story and the illustrations; they are sweet, gentle and engaging. I have always loved Elsa Beskow's picture books, not only because of the wonderful Jugendstil-like illustrations, but even more so because there is such a loving, respectful attitude towards children and children's abilities and responsibilities present in her stories. Children are neither approached as...more
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Pelle, a young Swedish boy, has a lamb which he cares for himself. When he begins to outgrow his coat, he shears the lamb and seeks help from his family and community to card, spin, weave, dye, and sew the wool into a suit, trading chores for the help that others give him. Finally he puts on his new suit and thanks the lamb for the wool, while all the people who have participated in the project look on.
The illustrations in this story are charming, and the story is delightful on many levels. In c...more
The illustrations in this story are charming, and the story is delightful on many levels. In c...more
This book shows how a little boy got his new suit back before ready-to-wear clothing. But making a new suit is not just about the steps of preparing and spinning the wool, it is also about the cooperative exchange of skills and labor that occurred in small communities. Pelle raises the lamb himself and shears it, but then must ask a series of relatives and neighbors for assistance in the multiple steps of making the wool into thread, the thread into cloth, cloth into suit, etc. In exchange he he...more
Jan 28, 2011
Jane Meyer
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
wee little folk
Shelves:
picture-books
I checked this sweet book out at the library and plan on purchasing a copy of my own. With my youngest being five, there are so many wonderful lessons hidden in this short story. Pelle's desire for a new suit sends him down a chore-filled path of raking hay, tending cows, feeding pigs and so on... and all the while the young reader gets to see how cloth is made and learn that just because you're small doesn't mean you can't get things done... More than that, it's not really a book that's all abo...more
This was a childhood favorite of mine. Reading it as an adult with my daughter has been a sweet experience and she has come to love it as well. There are many wonderful things about this book (beautiful illustrations, simple story line, sweet human/animal relationships, repetition - which appeals to a young audience) but I think the most fascinating thing is that it demonstrates where a piece of wool clothing comes from. In our modern world, we forget the amount of effort and the number of steps...more
This is a simple and charming story about a boy who needs a new suit and the way he gets it. By exchanging services, Pelle gets each step of the process completed: carding the wool, spinning it, weaving the fabric. He doesn't have the skills needed, but others in his community do, and he's able to offer his strengths to them: raking, feeding pigs, rowing a boat. Love the connection between desire for something and the work required to get it. Swedish author/illustrator.
I just loved this sweet story and adorable illustrations. About a boy who outgrows his suit and needs a new one. He shears his sheep and the book takes the reader through the process of getting a suit out of wool. I liked it especially because the boy takes his wool from place to place asking for help. Help is always given in exchange for him doing some work. In the end he has a beautiful new suit and thanks his sheep for it!
I haven't even seen this book but the brilliant iPhone app thought I rated it when I was just trying to scroll through... I can't figure out how to go back to no rating so I guess now I'll have to get the book & properly rate it!
Ran out of renewals at the library on this one, and Hannah simply won't be parted from it. Time to make a purchase . . .
How could a gardening, textile artist, shepherd mama not love this book?
very cute children book!
Elsa Beskow wrote and illustrated most of her books around the 1920's. This one, about a little boy and his lamb and some wool is my favorite. All of her books are charming, imaginative and pro-nature. Why is it that all the best childrens books come from Europe?
Pelle gets a new suit, but he doesn't go to the store to buy it. He shears the sheep and then barters for all the other work needed to make the suit, carding the wool, spinning it, getting dye to dye it, and finally having the suit made.
This is a book from my childhood that my mother was getting rid of; so I grabbed it and absorbed it into my own library. :D
A young shepherd takes wool from his flock and barters various skills to have it made into a new suit.
A young shepherd takes wool from his flock and barters various skills to have it made into a new suit.
Somehow this felt more 'retro' than truly old-fashioned. Still, I wonder if any 21st century children would enjoy it. I only did because I'm a nostalgic kind of mom.
Feb 07, 2008
Morgan Djuna Sorais Guion
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
childrens
Go on a journey with Pelle while he creates a suit from start to finish with his small town's help. This is a sweet story full of good lessons.
By no means the best of Elsa Beskow's picture books, but quite charming nonetheless.
Read to me by my father. A Swedish children's book. A favorite.
Fine book of determination and doing things for others.
May 14, 2013
Dawnch
is currently reading it
Apr 29, 2013
Jacqueline
added it
Apr 13, 2013
Julie
marked it as to-read
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