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A sweet tale of a boy and his dog and one ill-fated Christmas sweater by the author of the beloved book, The Mitten.
The Christmas Sweater by Jan Brett. Putnam’s, 2025. 32 pages.
- Reading Level: Picture books, ages 4-8
- Recommended For: Ages 0-8
A word about Jan Brett’s charming picture books: Like The Mitten (her classic wintry story), The Christmas Sweater story unfolds in multiple panels. Pay attention to the details! The side vignettes on each page are important hints. You don’t need to point this out to your children unless they still haven’t picked up on it after several readings.
Theo’s dog Ari is a Christmas puppy! And on her first birthday, Theo’s grandmother, Yiayia knits Ari a lovely red doggy sweater with jingle bells and everything. Ari seems unimpressed. Theo eagerly opens his own present from Yiayia (snow shoes!) and offers appropriate enthusiasm so Yiayia’s feelings won’t get hurt.
Then, it’s time to test both the snow shoes and the new red sweater. The only problem? Ari is a pug. The other dogs are mostly big, furry dogs (German Shepherd, Huskies, and the like), but Ari can’t keep up. The snow buries her! Theo just puts Ari into his pack with their picnic and heads off. Along the way, the magpies begin to pick up small items and a suspicious red thread appears….
Readers will soon pick up on the mishap happening to Ari’s bright red sweater. The journey is fun and humorous, and the ending is sweet and just right. Fans of The Mitten will enjoy this latest immensely. And Brett’s use of red against a snowy backdrop is beautiful!
Bottom Line: The Christmas Sweater is a fun wintry read. Look for it at your local library!
Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader
- Review: For another Christmas + dog story that also has a Christian message, check out Tully’s Christmas Mess. The Birds of Christmas is a sweet folktale that will appeal to animal lovers.
- Reviews: Another well-known children’s book author, Tomie dePaola, has a wealth of Christmas stories.
- Resource: For more wintry stories, check out our Wintry Stories Picture Books List.
You may purchase The Mango Tree from Amazon
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