The Three Little Mittens - by Linda Bailey (Hardcover)

About the Book

In this "picture book about friendship and belonging, ... Stripes the mitten loses her partner and becomes a single mitten. She feels excluded by the other perfectly matching pairs--that is until one day the little girl asks the question, 'Why do mittens have to match?'"--

Book Synopsis

A single mitten is excluded by a matching pair in this endearing picture book about friendship, belonging and the pressure to "match." For fans of The Day the Crayons Quit.

Dotty and Other Dotty are a matching set of mittens. When another mitten, Stripes, loses her partner and becomes a single mitten, they don't feel the need to include her. She doesn't "match" them, so she is banished to the dark, lonely pocket of the Little Girl who owns them. Before long, however, Dotty loses her partner, and now she doesn't match the reunited pair of Stripes and Other Stripes, who in turn banish her to the pocket. "YOU don't match!" they tell her.

When the Little Girl, who has been listening to their conversations, weighs in with a huge question ("Why do you have to match?"), the mittens are shocked. Then comes their realization that "matching" often means leaving someone out. This prompts the Little Girl to break a fundamental rule of fashion so that individual mittens (and maybe even socks! or shoes!) can be themselves -- and everyone can belong.

A warm and fuzzy story with lots of laughs, this latest picture book from Linda Bailey explores what it feels like to be excluded and included and celebrates one-of-a-kindness!

Review Quotes

"A funny, yet thought-provoking picture book that is highly recommended for reading aloud." --STARRED REVIEW, Booklist

"The over-arching themes of this witty, thought-provoking story are, of course, accepting differences and recognizing individual worthiness." --Kirkus Reviews

"Bailey's story of inclusion and acceptance balances any didacticism with a playful tone." --The Horn Book

"Preschoolers will love being in on the joke, but elementary-aged readers will love this, too. It's fast, funny, and true." --School Library Journal

"[H]eartwarming and illustrates the differences amongst us that contribute to everyone's joyful experiences." --CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"Linda Bailey has taken a familiar circumstance . . . and given us a heartfelt story of acceptance and inclusiveness. In The Three Little Mittens, what starts as animosity and discrimination, becomes friendship and support, with all the mittens belonging, and, even better, being welcomed as part of a new configuration" --CanLit for LittleCanadians

"The Three Little Mittens is a beautifully illustrated picture book that addresses important things such as inclusion, uniqueness, friendship, belonging and kindness." --Metroland

"Humorous childlike thoughts and joyful pictures align the book with other classics . . . Just sticking with mittens would have made the story seem more of a parable. When a Little Girl appears, the mittens, and the reader, begin to experience other possibilities." --Imaginary Elevators

About the Author

LINDA BAILEY has written nearly forty books for children. Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein was recently cited as a Best Book of the Year by Publishers Weekly, the Globe and Mail, Booklist, the New York Public Library and the CBC, among others. Linda has also been honored with awards that include the Vicky Metcalf Award for her exceptional body of work in children's literature, the Ontario Blue Spruce and Silver Birch Awards, the California Young Reader Medal, the Georgia Children's Book Award and the U.K. School Library Association Information Book Award. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

NATALIA SHALOSHVILI began her creative career as a fashion and editorial illustrator, working with a number of international magazines and creative agencies, including Grazia, Women's Health and Gala. Later, she found her true passion in children's books and paintings. Her original work can be found in private galleries and homes around the globe. Natalia lives in London, England, with her family.