The Mitten
A mitten becomes a cozy shelter as one animal after another squeezes inside.
A story to read together
The Mitten
Take your time. Let the story unfold.
On a snowy morning, a boy named Nicki hurried outside to play. His grandmother, Baba, had knitted him a soft white mitten. She reminded him to keep it safe against the snow, but Nicki was busy watching the sparkling trees. Before long, the mitten slipped from his hand and disappeared in a snowbank.
A warm little shelter
A mole pushed up through the snow and found the mitten. It was snug and warm, so he curled inside. A rabbit soon hopped by and asked to join him. The mole shuffled over, and the rabbit tucked in beside him.
Room for one more
A bear lumbered through the woods and spotted the mitten. The animals were crowded, but they made one last space. The mitten stretched wider and wider as the bear squeezed in.
A mitten full of surprises
The animals shook off the snow and checked that everyone was all right. Then they scampered back to their homes. The mitten lay open on the ground, much wider than before.
Making room kindly
Baba mended the mitten with a stronger thread. Nicki learned that sharing is kind, and that it is also all right to say when there is no more room.
The end
After the final page
There is no single right answer. Invite young readers to notice, wonder and imagine.
How do the animals find room for one another?
Which animal’s arrival changes the story most?
When did the mitten reach its limit, and how could the animals tell?
Make something: Draw the mitten and add each animal in the order it arrived. Then design a stronger mitten that still leaves everyone comfortable.
