[apologies to anyone who read an earlier version of this--I pushed the wrong button and made it public before I was done with it.]

I got an advance proof of this book from ALA Midwinter. When I picked it up I was rather skeptical about whether I needed a book of "heartwarming stories, patterns, and recipes," but it was free, so I took it. My major question was: does this kind of book have any value for me when I have Ravelry at hand and any number of heartwarming knitting blogs and posts and gazillions of other pattern books at hand?

I believe that it does earn a place in my home because it is a book that I'd pick up again--to reread the quest for the magically formed Turkish slippers or about the Mitten Ladies, or more likely to use one of the patterns in it. The patterns are very practical and ordinary, which means that they are ones you might turn to if you needed a basic, workaday pattern for a quick gift, or to use up a bit of stash. No special yarn is needed. There are patterns for first socks, for wristlets and a scarf, dishcloths, a playtime cape, a zigzag afghan. I made one of the dishcloths--it was exactly the pattern I needed to finish up a gift for an elderly aunt. A plus is that the special techniques needed are explained at the back of the book. I can't speak to the recipes, though they are of the same ilk: spaghetti sauce, roasted root vegetables, frosting; all ordinary foods you might need to make on short notice. A final feature of the book is the author's book recommendations, which are mostly knitting-themed.

I've tucked the book into my knitting bag to remind myself that the patterns are available.