This book is very nice and a tribute to the understanding between a grandparent and a grandchild. Phoebe Gilman is one of my favorite author/illustrators. I just realized while I was writing this review my children are reading another Phoebe Gilman book in the living room. A Treasury of Jillian Jiggs. ( )

My memories of reading this story as a kid are of how enraptured I was with the illustrations, particularly of the shiny blue blanket material. That bedazzlement has not faded.

This book has SO MUCH going on. The main story, yes, but also the exquisite illustrations of the shtetl that show the stories of its inhabitants; the understated character actions like Joseph's sister trying to comfort him with her own doll; the parallel story of the mouse family living under the house; the message about not letting materials go to waste (both in the main house and in the mouse house). There are relatively few words, but the incredible illustrations inspire several minutes of perusal before turning the page.

Also there's an adorable panel of little mice children attending Hebrew school, and if that at least doesn't get you to pick up this book, I don't know what else to say. ( )

This is a wonderful book that shows a connection between a grandfather and his grandson. One reason I liked this book is because the book has repeated words, which can be used in a shared reading activity. Every time the grandson brings his grandfather the fabric, the book says “Hmm,’ he said as his scissors went snip, snip, snip and his needle flew in and out and in and out, ‘There’s just enough material here to make…” Another reasons why I enjoyed this book was because of the illustrations. On the bottom of every page is a family of mice who are mimicking exactly what is happening in the story. Additionally the illustrations have vibrant colors which keep the reader engaged. For example, the dark blue color of the fabric that the grandfather keeps making into new items contrasts well with the other images. There is also a deep red colored curtain on one of the pages that helps to separate two rooms. Lastly, I enjoyed this book because of its main idea. The book’s main idea is about tradition and the value of family. The young boy keeps bringing the material back to his grandfather, which shows the special connection that they have with each other. ( )

A boy gets a wonderful blanket from his grandfather. As he grows older his grandfather repurposes the blanket over and over again into something new. A great book to show problem-solving over time. ( )

In my opinion, this is a very good book. First and foremost, it has a well-developed plot. The characters are simple and the reoccurring problem always has an easy solution. Each time Joseph out grows the new article of clothing his grandfather made him, his grandfather uses the same cloth to make something else. For example, Joseph out grows his blanket and once his mother tells him it’s time to get rid of it he says, “Grandpa can fix it.” This simple problem reoccurring makes it easy to follow along throughout the whole story. The repetition is another reason why I really like this book. Each time Joseph brings Grandpa the old article of clothing the text reads, ““Hmm,” he said as his scissors went snip, snip and his needle flew in and out in and out, “There’s just enough material here to make…”” The repetition makes the story very interactive especially when reading the story aloud. The repetition also allows the reader to predict what is likely to happen next. The big message of this story is, “it’s not about what you have, it’s about what you do with what you have”. In the beginning, Joseph starts with a blanket that becomes tattered and his grandfather turns it into a jacket. Once he out grows the jacket, his grandfather makes him a vest and the story continues with his grandfather making him something new. Each time, his grandfather has less and less material to work with. Instead of throwing the items away, he uses what he has to make something just as useful. ( )