Sweater Weather: A Funny and Heartwarming Picture Book About Bear Family Patience for Kids

by Matt Phelan

What a perfect autumn day! Papa Bear tells his cubs to bundle up in the cozy sweaters he knitted for them—but that is easier said than done.

Sweaters on? Not yet!

The air is crisp, and the leaves are bright—it’s the perfect autumn day to enjoy the outdoors. Papa Bear instructs his cubs to put on their sweaters, and patiently waits downstairs. When he checks on them, he learns that getting ready is no simple task. But even if this lovable bear family misses out on their planned outing, the evening sky still holds a beautiful surprise.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Humor, Childrens, Family, Storytime, Juvenile

40 pages, Hardcover

Published October 19, 2021

About the author

Matt Phelan made his illustrating debut with Betty G. Birney’s The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster). Since then he has illustrated many picture books and novels for young readers, including Where I Live by Eileen Spinelli (Dial), Very Hairy Bear by Alice Schertle (Harcourt), and The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (Simon & Schuster) winner of the 2007 Newbery Medal.

Matt studied film and theater in college with the goal of one day writing and directing movies. But his first love was always drawing, and the more he saw the wonderful world of children’s books, the more he realized that this was the place for him. Being an illustrator is in many ways like being an actor, director, cinematographer, costumer, and set designer rolled into one.

Matt writes: “I have a fascination with the decade of the 1930s. The movies were learning to talk (and in the case of King Kong, growl), the music was beginning to swing, and the nation was thrown into tremendous turmoil. On one hand, you see a level of suffering documented in the dramatic and gritty photography of Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans. On the other hand, consider what the American public was flocking to see in the movie theaters: the glamour and grace of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing in a series of perfect musicals. For my first book as both writer and illustrator (coming in 2009 by Candlewick Press), I naturally gravitated to this complex decade, specifically the strange world of the Dust Bowl.”

Reviews

[Mid-Continent Public Library]

Herded any cats lately? If so, you will understand how this Papa Bear feels about getting his little bears into their sweaters so they can go outside. Before he knows it, it is time to come back in and take the sweaters off. This new Matt Phelan picture book has few words, but filled to the brim with heart. Enjoy it with your little bears this winter -- sweaters are optional.
*Reviewed by Darla from Red Bridge*

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

June may not be the best month of the year to read this, but summer has just arrived here, and I'm already yearning for those chilly mornings of autumn.

Papa Bear is eager to get his young brood outdoors on a fine fall day, but first they need their sweaters!



Through the use of minimal words, and some very cute pictures, Phelan manages to convey the frustration, and outright adorableness of attempting to get children dressed and out the door.

The ending, while not what Papa Bear and the reader might have been expecting, is delightful!

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nearly wordless, very expressive, mighty autumnal, and crazy adorable. Cuddle up in your favorite chair and get your sweater season started: even if you have to crank up the AC to pretend.

Library copy

[Rebekah Schnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Illustrations are adorable!!! The story is minimal but absolutely on point with trying to get kids dressed everyday 🤣

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A papa bear who knits!

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a brisk Fall day, and Papa Bear wants his seven cubs to wear the sweaters that he has knitted them. But the request of sweaters on is as easy as it sounds. Papa Bear shows patience with the cubs as they get dressed for an enjoyable day outside.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this with my 10 y.o. son who indulges me in letting me read picture books with him (I work in the Children's Dept. at a public library so I read many picture books! =) Although the story has minimal words, the pictures are cute and the facial expressions on the bears tell most of the story. I enjoyed how it told the story from Papa Bear's perspective and what he has to go through with 7 young cubs. It shows the daily struggles of every parent who asks their kids to get dressed and the time it takes for that to get accomplished. I also enjoyed how it shows Papa Bear knitting clothes for his cubs. Overall it was a cute story that I would recommend cuddling up and reading with a child. =)

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who has raised or worked with kids knows how difficult it can be to get them dressed, and Phelan shares that with humor as a bear parent attempts to get several cubs into sweaters to enjoy a nice fall day-- by the time they're dressed for the occasion, the sun has gone down! Thankfully, sweater weather isn't exclusive to daylight hours for this fuzzy family.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are in the midst of a huge pause. The winter solstice 2021 was observed on December 21, 2021. Today, December 26, 2021 marks five more days before the new calendar year begins. Some seasonal holidays have been celebrated; preparations for others are still being made. It is as if everything and everyone are holding their collective breaths, waiting for what comes next.

As we move from summer to autumn and now to winter, our clothing selections vary. We wear more layers. A short-sleeved t-shirt is worn under a long-sleeved t-shirt. Sweaters are placed over long-sleeved t-shirts and turtlenecks are worn under sweatshirts and sweaters. Although Sweater Weather (Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, October 5, 2021) written and illustrated by Matt Phelan takes place in an autumn setting, all you have to do is stand in any classroom at recess and lunch times during the winter months to know a similar version of this story is repeated hundreds of times on a daily basis in a single school building.

My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a perfect book to read on a hot summer day in Texas! It helps me to remember that - eventually - it will be fall and sweater weather. Papa Bear is trying to get all the cubs ready to go out into the crisp fall air. But that is a large task! Cubs struggle with their sweaters and then, once they are dressed, they are itchy or they don't like the color. By the time everyone is ready - oh no! It is dark outside. But don't despair - some of the best surprises happen when you look up at a clear, autumn sky! Then it's back inside - and into PJs!
I liked the graphic novel like format for this book - lots of panels with white space. And also the use of minimal words to describe what was going on. This will encourage a lot of interaction between the reader and the listener - or the reader and the page.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Papa Bear has knitted sweaters for all of the cubs - 7 of them. But when the weather gets cooler and it's time for the cubs to put them on, it's quite an ordeal!

Mostly pictures with occasional text, Matt Phelan tells more with his illustrations than words could ever convey. Such a delightful book - oh I loved all the little cubs. When they are all outside making fog with their breath !!! I'm certain that children, sweater wearers or not, will really enjoy this, and I'm showing my knitting friends as well. I hope Greenwillow considers publishing this in Board Book, as the limited text makes it a perfect book for babies. I also loved that Papa Bear was a knitter!

Cross posted to http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't catch that it's Papa, not Mama, Bear. I did catch that this must be a foster home, because bears only have two cubs at a time. And besides, bears have fur. I guess I'm getting too curmudgeonly and fussy for nonsense... but then again, young me would have had the same objections. Remember Else Holmelund Minarik's Little Bear, who thought he wanted a coat and other warm clothing, then finally realized that his fur was just fine? I liked that... but at the same time I did not like that Mother Bear was fully dressed, with structured undergarments no less! Anyway, this book is kinda cute but it does nothing for me, or, imo, for the genre.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

This charming, nearly wordless picture book is perfect to read on a chilly autumn day...

When Father Bear sees a crisp fall day outside the window, he tells the little bears "Sweaters on!" After much confusion and drama, they are dressed and walk outside into the night that has fallen. Not all is lost, as they discover their frosty breaths and a surprise in the sky.

Phelan's minimalist story is just right for young tykes. After a reading or two, they will be reading along with the book, too. Artwork was prepared in pencil, ink, and watercolor on hot-pressed paper. It is rich with reds, yellows, and browns with just a hint of green and full of action and fun.

Add to a unit on autumn, bears, and family.

Recommended for PreS-K.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

One papa bear has a wonderful idea, to take his little bears out before bedtime to see the night sky. His words: "Sweaters on." bring so many shenanigans while his offspring are trying (maybe?) to get those sweaters on. Matt Phelan's story, with so few words the story really is told in his hilarious illustrators. There are seven little bears to get ready, and they do, with some help from Papa and siblings. The outside is lovely but all too fast it's time for "Sweaters off." then, you guessed it, "Pajamas on."! What a treat of a book that makes one smile all the way through.

[Julie Ditton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Phelan captures the frustrations of trying to get little ones ready for the day in this delightful picture book. His water color illustrations are full of himself to delight young and old. They tell the story in this almost wordless picture book. The few words " Sweaters on?" and " Not yet." form a refrain on each page spread, making a predictable refrain for little ones to chant. It is also perfect for the emergent reader who is just beginning to learn sight words."Sweater Weather" is perfect for autumn warmth era story time.

[Villain E · Rating 4 out of 5]

A playful book I think works more for parents than kids. Papa Bear tells his kids that it's time to get their sweaters on. They play instead. He continues to try to convince them to get dressed. By the time they actually get dressed, it's dark outside.

This is the stage where I'm at, telling my kids what's expected and letting them take care of themselves, rather than doing it for them. So I found this adorable. I don't think my kids got it.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Few words (and those that are there, repeat) tell this story of a poor parent Bear and the 6 little cubs who live with them.

The parent wants to go out, but the cubs have trouble getting everyone from PJs to sweaters. There's distraction, then issues getting into the sweaters, then they want to swap, then a sweater unravels, etc.

Finally, they get outside and....it's nighttime already. Luckily, there are fun things to see at night too.

Then, it's back inside and back to PJs.

[Elaine Fultz, Teacher Librarian, MLS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun Phelan. An adult bear (dad?) is trying to get seven cubs to put on sweaters.

I'm sharing some of this year's "best books," as listed from various sources, with my 1st and 2nd graders and it's obvious that so many of these are old-school animals-as-characters stories. I thought we were going to get better about that in the children's literature community. These books ARE good, but it's notable that animals, rather than BIPOC people, are the dominant presence in kids' books.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Papa Bear tells his cubs that it's time to put their sweaters on, so they can go outside, but the cubs have a little trouble getting dressed. Using very few words, Phelan tells a cute story of a big family's exhausting time getting ready. All grown-ups can relate. This one would be good for a cold weather or getting dressed storytime. It's a good almost wordless book for beginning readers to practice storytelling and reading.

[Eileen Winfrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed this from the public library and have since added it to my buy list for next year's library budget. The papa bear is trying to get his bear cubs to put on their sweaters to go outside in this almost wordless picture book. It doesn't really go well, but the expressions on the bear cub's faces as they work (or don't work) at putting their sweaters on are hilarious, as well as being great conversation starters with your pre-k kiddos. I just loved it.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parents and teachers everywhere will appreciate the challenge in getting children ready to head outside. Younger readers will appreciate the humor as they watch how complex it is for each bear to get a sweater on to go outside and enjoy the Fall day. Though they don't make it to see the day, they learn how magical a Fall evening can be. Love the character expressions. They tell the story along with the words.

[Abigail Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was so funny and sweet! The parent bear is trying to get the kid bears in their sweaters and out the door, but it takes until nighttime! However, it is super sweet because they are then able to see the stars in their sweaters. The text is super sparse, which was only okay for me. My boys (8&9) and I got some giggles and enjoyed it!

[Ann Haefele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect story for parents or teachers of young children. It takes so long to get them dressed to go outside! Frustration, but also love, is shown on the expressions of mama bear as she tries to herd her cubs into sweaters so they can go outside. The art under the dust jacket is different. Don’t miss the extra illustrations of mama bear and her cubs.

[Tami Edminster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little look at trying to corral the kiddos for bed or to go anywhere! the grown-up bear wants the cubs to get their sweaters on....and lot of fun is found in the cute illustrations. Very few words. Great for a bed time story time, autumn story time. Super adorable. plus, extra points for the title...Sweater! Weather!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This endearing book has very few words but perfectly relays the cozy feelings of an adult bear encouraging the bear cubs to get their sweaters on so they can go outside on a crisp autumn day. But it takes them so long to get their sweaters on, it’s night time when they finally get outside. But oh, how lucky they are to see the night sky!

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bear gets his cubs dressed in sweaters to go outside on a fall day.

This picture book consists almost entirely of the two phrases “sweaters on” and “not yet.” It follows a bear family bundling up to go outside on an autumn day.

Young readers will enjoy the silliness, and caregivers will relate to the difficulty in getting small children dressed and ready to go.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art steals the show here--the text itself is only short speach bubbles and goes by way too fast, but the experience is darling. Papa bear tries to wrangle all the cubs into sweaters to go outside. The little yellow baby bear with the big eyes is the cutest, and their big family hug gets endless warm-fuzzy points.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A darling "autumn" themed book about Papa Bear and all his little cubs trying to get their sweaters on to go outside. By the time they get outside, it's dark and after a few moments of enjoying the stars, it's back inside to get on pajamas. This is almost a wordless book but the illustrations are adorable and every parent will relate to the struggle!!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great watercolor illustrations accompany sparse text telling the story of Papa Bear telling his cubs to get their sweaters on so they can go outside on the beautiful fall day. As every parent can relate to, this is a bigger task than Papa originally thought it would be. Still, there's a great surprise outside and everyone has a fun time. A fun group read aloud.