Brett creates a dramatic picture book with the story of Nicki, a young boy who has lost a mitten in the snow and the animals who try to make a home...
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Dec 07, 2010
Abigail
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I am familiar with a number of English-language adaptations of this traditional Ukrainian folktale, in which a series of animals take up residence in a lost mitten. There is the 1964 version by Alvin Tresselt, illustrated by Yaroslava. There is the mitten-shaped retelling released by Moscow Malysh Publishers in the 1970s, illustrated by E. Bulatov and O. Vasiliev. And then there is this book by Jan Brett, arguably the most popular version of the story, at least here in the United States.
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(7 people liked it)
Jan 30, 2011
Yael
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I walk to my school every day. Often times when I am walking I think about my lessons and class. The other day while I walked to school I was talking on the phone. When I was turned the corner to walk into my school building, I realized that because of my free hand needed to talk on the phone, I had dropped my mitten. Immediately, I started to laugh and turned around in search of my fallen mitten (it was about 7:05 am so there had not been much foot traffic on the sidewalk so I knew I'd find
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Jan 13, 2011
Candice
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This morning while walking my dog I temporarily lost one of my mittens. When I discovered it had fallen out of my pocket, I decided it would be easier to continue our walk and to look for the lost mitten on the way back. I had plenty of time to reflect. As Dude munched on frozen deer poop I thought of all the woodland creatures that inhabit Poplar Forest. Besides the deer there are foxes, squirrels, rabbits, mice, skunks, and who knows what else. I imagined one of them finding the mitten and
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Aug 28, 2010
Ronyell
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I have read many folktales from around the world, but this is the first time that I have read a folktale from Ukraine. “The Mitten” is a Ukrainian folktale retold by Jan Brett and it is about how a young boy named Nicki loses his mitten in the snow and his lost mitten soon becomes a host to a great number of forest animals! “The Mitten” is easily one of the cutest and most beautiful folktales ever told for children!
Jan Brett has certainly outdone herself in this book as she beautif More...
Jan Brett has certainly outdone herself in this book as she beautif More...
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Mar 01, 2010
Jen
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The story The Mitten is about a young boy who wanted his grandmother to make him snow-white mittens. His grandma said that he would lose it in the snow and never find it back, while the young boy did but at the end of the story he finds it back. There was something different with the mitten now. You will have to read it to find out what happened to it.
The Mitten is a longer than it is tall with a rectangle shape. Paperback is the style that I read, which means it did not have a book ja More...
The Mitten is a longer than it is tall with a rectangle shape. Paperback is the style that I read, which means it did not have a book ja More...
Feb 04, 2010
In this Ukranian folktale Nicki, a young boy, asks his grandmother Baba for snow-white mittens. She protests that he will lose them in the snow, but because he wants them so badly she complies and knits some for him. When he goes out to play, he does lose one, and it is found by a chilly mole who cosies up inside to get warm. When a rabbit happens by, he crowds into the mitten, followed by a hedgehog, an owl, a badger, a fox, and a bear. Finally a tiny mouse comes along and, perching on top
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Sep 27, 2011
Jennifer
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Jan Brett drew beautiful illustrations in The Mitten. She created air brushed double spreads for each page. Her lines of rolling hills in the distance create the appearance of space and rolling meadows. The side pictures on each page create a preview of what is happening next. She doesn't include words with these, but it shows where Nicky is, and from the illustrations, you can see what he is thinking and how he is feeling. Even though a lot of each page is white due to the snow and sky, sh
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Nov 21, 2011
Scott
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A classic that is adapted from a Ukranian children's story. One of the things that I like about this story is the two mittens placed on opposite pages (at least with my copy it has them). Inside the mitten on the left it shows where the boy is looking for his lost mitten. The mitten on the right shows what animal is coming next. This would be a good way for children to use their predicting skills for literature. This book is also a bullying book, because no one is telling the next animal "n
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Jul 17, 2011
Ellie
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The wonderful Jan Brett's version of a Ukrainian fairy tale The Mitten is satisfying in so many ways. I have used it wish students of a variety of levels-as a simple and charming fairy tale to older students studying the form and learning how powerful the art of illustration is and how critical it is in the successful performance of a story.
These illustrations are magical as they tell the story of a common object in an uncommon way and reveal the magic that resides in the most ordina More...
These illustrations are magical as they tell the story of a common object in an uncommon way and reveal the magic that resides in the most ordina More...
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Dec 23, 2010
Dolly
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We've read Jim Aylesworth's version of this story (The Mitten) and so when this book was picked as a December read for the Children's Books group Picture-book club, we were excited to read another version of this story. We enjoyed both of the books very much and as always, we really love Jan Brett's illustrations. The details and little hints of what's to come in the border pictures are a feast for the eyes. We read the 20th Anniversary edition, which includes an author's note at the beginnin
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Jul 25, 2011
Laura
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A little boy lost one of his mittens in the snow. A little mole found it and crawled inside. Soon a rabbit, hedgehog, owl, badger, fox and a bear joined the little mole inside the mitten. Then a tiny mouse crept into the mitten and tickled the bear’s nose. He sneezed, and all the animals flew out of the mitten. The little boy found his mitten, but it was quite stretched out. I grew up with a version by Alvin Tressalt (the blue cover). In that one, the mouse at the end is just the final straw, an
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Jan 27, 2010
Heidi
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The Mitten
Folktale adapted & illustrated by Jan Brett
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Year Published: 1989
The main character of the story, Nicki, looses one of his white mittens in the snow. His grandmother, Baba, warned him this would happen before she made them for him. After he lost the mitten, all kinds of animals moved into the mitten to keep warm. The book has a very nice ending.
Reading level: K-3
Genre: Picture Book More...
Folktale adapted & illustrated by Jan Brett
Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Year Published: 1989
The main character of the story, Nicki, looses one of his white mittens in the snow. His grandmother, Baba, warned him this would happen before she made them for him. After he lost the mitten, all kinds of animals moved into the mitten to keep warm. The book has a very nice ending.
Reading level: K-3
Genre: Picture Book More...
Feb 16, 2010
A young boy, Nicki, has lost a white mitten in the snow. Several animals, small and large, try to make a home in it. When Nicki finds the mitten, it is stretched out considerably.
Like "The Hat," "The Mitten" is classic Jan Brett. Once again, I used the big book version with a kindergarten class. After discussing sequencing of events, we also compared and contrasted both stories with respect to characters, setting, and plot. The children were easily able to do More...
Like "The Hat," "The Mitten" is classic Jan Brett. Once again, I used the big book version with a kindergarten class. After discussing sequencing of events, we also compared and contrasted both stories with respect to characters, setting, and plot. The children were easily able to do More...
Oct 06, 2009
Miranda
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The story of the mitten is a traditional folktale, and as such needs no illustration. The oral tradition of the story provides all of the necessary elements. However, Jan Brett's detailed artwork is so vivid that the pictures alone could tell the story in this book. The use of panels on each page provide a glimpse of what is going on apart from the text and implement foreshadowing. Borders for each panel are crafted from a background of tree bark and a ropes of yarn shaped as mittens. The f
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Mar 12, 2011
Laura
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Wow, this is one of my all time favorite books! I remember my first grade teacher reading it to us and I loved it. I read it again recently and fell in love again with The Mitten. Brett tells a great story about a boy who looses his white mitten while walking through the snow and the animals who make a home inside the great mitten. One by one, the woodland creatures pile in the mitten, while Nick is unaware where his mitten has been, let alone that it is getting stretched out by animals that
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Nov 09, 2009
Amanda
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Brett incorporates a lot of realism in her illustrations for The Mitten. Her illustrations fill the page. She offers the readers detailed illustrations. Brett uses page frames to show the readers what might be coming up next. I love the detail of the mittens threading on each page. The texture shown on the animals makes it look very realistic. GREAT ILLUSTRATIONS!
The text keeps the readers interested and or wondering what animal will be next to fit into the mitten. Kids will be very More...
The text keeps the readers interested and or wondering what animal will be next to fit into the mitten. Kids will be very More...
Dec 14, 2010
Crystal
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The mitten was a retelling of a Ukrainian winter Folktale. I read this one to my little girl who enjoyed the animals and the snow. I enjoyed the illustrations more than the folktale itself. I thought it was a creative touch to add the mitten windows which allowed you to catch a glimpse of what was going on inside or outside of the cottage. Although not a Christmas tale, the colors chosen to create the illustration definitely reminded me of Christmas.
The story is cute; a lost glove and More...
The story is cute; a lost glove and More...
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Nov 30, 2010
Lisa
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To be honest, I felt little enthusiasm for reading this book, but it’s one of six books for the Children's Books group’s Picture Books Club December “winter” themed books, so I read it.
I’m so glad that I did. It’s delightful. I loved all the animals, the boy and his grandmother, their house, the snowy outdoors, and most of all, the humor.
The illustrations are very appealing; I loved the animals and I enjoyed all the detail in each picture, and the mini pictures that reve More...
I’m so glad that I did. It’s delightful. I loved all the animals, the boy and his grandmother, their house, the snowy outdoors, and most of all, the humor.
The illustrations are very appealing; I loved the animals and I enjoyed all the detail in each picture, and the mini pictures that reve More...
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Mar 06, 2010
Tony
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The Mitten -
Grade Level K-3.
This is a story of a lost mitten, and how animals in the forest manage to find shelter and warmth. All the animals seem to squeeze in one by one, including a fox, owl, mole, rabbit, mouse, and even a bear, until there is no more room for them. The illustrations are what really captured my attention, and I thought they were one of the best features of the book itself. The book can be used with lessons involving winter and winter-related clot More...
Grade Level K-3.
This is a story of a lost mitten, and how animals in the forest manage to find shelter and warmth. All the animals seem to squeeze in one by one, including a fox, owl, mole, rabbit, mouse, and even a bear, until there is no more room for them. The illustrations are what really captured my attention, and I thought they were one of the best features of the book itself. The book can be used with lessons involving winter and winter-related clot More...
Jan 11, 2012
Ashley
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First I would focus on the title page. Judging by the title I would have the students make predictions on what they thought the book would be about. What are mittens, and how are the different from gloves. I could then read through the book asking questions like would we normally see animals hiding in a glove. Where would animals usually go to keep warm during the winter? I would then carry this over in a science lesson about the habitats of some of the different animals talked about in the boo
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Jul 11, 2011
Joan
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This story is special to me because I saw how much my preschoolers enjoyed pretending to be the animals that climbed into the mitten. I was so proud to see them participate when we made the story interactive. We created a mitten and each child was chose an animal they would pretend to be, they were each given a face mask with the picture of that animal and got into the pretend mitten when their turn came. They continued to listen as the story was read and when the animals popped the mitten becau
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Nov 30, 2011
Lindsey
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This book is about a boy who loses one of his white gloves out in the snow and a bunch of animals find it and want to climb inside it. In the end, the boy finds his white glove and surprises his grandma that he didn't lose them.
I would use this book to teach my students about making predictions when reading by using the pictures to scaffold their predictions. There are little pictures in mitten frames on each page that gives a glimpse of what is to come next and can help you to make More...
I would use this book to teach my students about making predictions when reading by using the pictures to scaffold their predictions. There are little pictures in mitten frames on each page that gives a glimpse of what is to come next and can help you to make More...
Dec 01, 2010
Krista the Krazy Kataloguer
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This is the first Jan Brett book I ever read, and not only did I enjoy the story, but the illustrations absolutely captivated me. When I use this in story time now, I have the kids anticipate what will appear on the next page by looking at the sub-story occurring in the side boxes on each page. While Alvin Tresselt did the earliest picture book version of this Ukrainian folktale that I know of, Jan Brett's is better known because of her beautiful illustrations. A perfect winter readaloud, and
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Feb 07, 2012
Bridgette
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Jan Brett has taken a beautiful old tale and turned it into a delightful read for young folks and their parents. It is a wonderful book for reading to children of young ages, in part because of the beautiful illustrations. In the center of the page, the main story is told. In the pages margins, inside a mitten the story of what has just happened and what is about to happen is told.
In this Ukranian story, Nicki asks his grandmother to make him white mittens--not exactly a practical ite More...
In this Ukranian story, Nicki asks his grandmother to make him white mittens--not exactly a practical ite More...
Jun 06, 2011
David
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The Mitten by Jan Brett is a clever adaption of a Ukranian folk tale. One by one animals crawl and squeeze into Nikki's lost mitten to stay warm, until a small mouse causes a bear to sneeze, sending them all flying out and sending the mitten up into the air where Nikki sees it and brings it home to show his grandmother he still has them, though one is larger than the other.
Brett's text is clear and clever. Predictibility and repetition make this a good read. A mole, a rabbit, a hedge More...
Brett's text is clear and clever. Predictibility and repetition make this a good read. A mole, a rabbit, a hedge More...
Oct 06, 2008
Erica
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Ukrainian Folktale
This book is about how Nicki wants his grandmother to knit white mittens for him. She gives him a mitten and without noticing, Nicki drops a mitten in the white snow. When Nicki drops his white mitten in the snow, he goes on without realizing that it is missing. One by one, animals find the mitten and crawl in; first a curious mole, then a rabbit, a badger and others, each one larger than the last. Finally, a big brown bear is followed in by a tiny brown mouse, and all th More...
This book is about how Nicki wants his grandmother to knit white mittens for him. She gives him a mitten and without noticing, Nicki drops a mitten in the white snow. When Nicki drops his white mitten in the snow, he goes on without realizing that it is missing. One by one, animals find the mitten and crawl in; first a curious mole, then a rabbit, a badger and others, each one larger than the last. Finally, a big brown bear is followed in by a tiny brown mouse, and all th More...
Feb 02, 2012
Lindsey
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There are so many great curriculum based activities that can go with this book but one science activity I love for this book can be with temperature. Take a thermometer and measure the classroom temperature. THEN stick the thermometer inside the mitten and measure the temperature inside the mitten. Finally, measure the temperature of a hand inside a mitten after two minutes. Children can find out that it is our body heat that keeps us warm and the cloth of the mitten simply traps the warmth.
Feb 18, 2011
Lisa
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Jan Brett has done it again! She has impressed me with another one of her classic renditions of a folktale that she is able to respin with simple words and detail-oreiented pictures. Her artwork is so full of life and magic. I have read other versions of this book, but this by far is my favorite. We received a copy a few years ago as a Christmas present, but we read it year round because we enjoy the simplicity of the story and we adore the intricate artwork. The story itself is whimsical a
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Jan 26, 2011
This story is a great read-aloud for the younger grades. The storyline and sequence has the ability to keep young readers engaged. The simplistic nature of the writing also allows students the opportunity to easily retell the story. Also, the illustrations in the margins of the book add a certain level of suspense while reading.Instead of flipping backwards through the book, teachers can refer students to the pictures in the margin to answer questions or predict what is going to happen next.
Dec 29, 2008
Cindi
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I remember this picture book sitting on my aunt's coffee table at Christmas time many years ago. Now I have it in my home. I think I pulled it out because it is a winter story. The other day my daughters got sent to sit on the couch together to work out their differences. My older daughter read the story to the younger daughter. Then, the younger one took it and told the story. So cute! I totally enjoyed her re-telling!
A great little book with Jan Brett's exceptional artwork!
A great little book with Jan Brett's exceptional artwork!
