Extra Yarn

Extra Yarn 

Written by Mac Barnett; illustrated by Jon Klassen 

Grades Pre k and up

Summary: A young girl and a seemingly ordinary box of yarn become the catalyst for a remarkable transformation of a bleak and sleepy small town in this year’s picture book winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. Written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Geisel Honor Award winner Jon Klassen, Extra Yarn knits a warm tale of imagination and inspiration. Annabelle stumbles upon a box in the middle of her dreary little town, a box filled with yarn of many colors. She does the next logical thing—knits a sweater for herself—but finds that there’s some yarn left. So, she knits one for her dog, only to discover that there’s still more yarn. As she continues her day, various townspeople stare and scoff at her colorful clothes. Annabelle’s response? Why knit sweaters for them, too, of course! But when a vain and villainous Duke offers Annabelle immense wealth for her amazing never-ending box of yarn, events become more astounding. Barnett’s storytelling is both straightforward and lyrical, enveloping readers in the magic and figurative warmth of the tale. Klassen complements the text with mixed media illustrations that display his mastery of texture, muted colors, light and shadow, and depth through detail.

Genre: Picture Books/ Children's fiction

Motivational Activities:: 

• Challenge your students to identify  illustrations in the book that metaphorically represent the story’s themes. It might be helpful to start them with identifying the themes, brainstorming ways those themes can be represented through objects or symbols in the world, and then seeing which of those representations Klassen includes in his illustrations. Alternatively, your students might need to go from the concrete to abstract by examining objects first and then thinking about what they might represent metaphorically, such as seeing a picture of the sun and connecting it to the concepts of nature, growth, light, hope, or happiness. For this approach, pass out objects to small groups and have them brainstorm what such objects might be able to represent. 

• Share a variety of other picture books that effectively use light, darkness, shadow, and a rare splash of color to help readers make inferences about the meaning of the printed text. Some good books to use include the Olivia series, by Ian Falconer, and The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, by Chris Van Allsburg. As your students read more picture books throughout the year, suggest that they keep an eye out for more illustrations that effectively use light and dark to enhance the meaning of the text.

Discussion Questions: What if Annabelle’s family was impoverished, or someone close to her was sick and needed help paying for medical treatment?

 What if Annabelle could use the Duke’s money to pay for college?

 In other words, when does staying true to your art or craft make sense?

 When does it not? How do such decisions position artists in the eyes of others, especially their peers? And how much does one’s artistic integrity really matter?

Personal Comments: I love everything about this book. Everything. 

Annabelle lives in a cold, colorless town where everything is covered with snow and soot. One day, she comes upon a box of colorful yarn, and knits herself a sweater. When she's finished, she knits one for her dog. When she's finished with that, she still has extra yarn. In fact, Annabelle's colorful yarn seems to be never-ending, and she knits and knits and knits until her town and all the people in it are adorned with Annabelle's colorful creations. Then one day, a rich and powerful archduke offers Annabelle one million, two million... ten million dollars for her box of yarn. When she declines his offer, he takes matters into his own hands and hires robbers to get the box for him. But once he's got it, things don't go quite as he'd hoped. What will he do? How will Annabelle fare without her box? You have to go get the book for yourself to discover the sweet ending. 

Absolutely charming tale, fabulous illustrations by Jon Klassen... this book has the makings and the feel of a modern classic. The f&g will suffice in our house for now, but this is one we will absolutely be purchasing in hardcover for our collection.

Online Resources 

Mac Barnett’s website 
http://www.macbarnett.com 

Jon Klassen’s website 
http://www.burstofbeaden.com 

Artists Helping Children: Yarn Crafts for Kids 
http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/yarnartscraftsideaskids.html 

PBS Kids & Parents Activities with Yarn 
http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/do/yarndoll.html 
http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/do/yarncards.html 
http://www.pbs.org/parents/fun-and-games/activities-and-crafts/diy-yarn-bowls 

Team Building Activities with Yarn 
http://www.ehow.com/info_12114063_team-building-yarn-activity.html 

Yarn Craft Activities for Elementary School Children 
http://www.ehow.com/way_5279521_yarn-crafts-activities-elementary-children.html 

TLC - Yarn Craft Activities for Families 
http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/yarn-crafts.htm 

Folklore Commons - American Folklore Society 
http://www.afsnet.org