The Mitten String

Through stories and suggestions, Katrina Kenison shares her insights into how to celebrate life's quiet moments, softly reminding busy mothers to pause and remember the deep sense of well-being comes from a listening ear, an open heart, and a quiet little space carved out of time. Mothers are pulled in a million different directions while trying to give their kids fulfilling, productive, joyful childhoods. They mistake activity for happiness, and fill their kids' heads with information when they ought to be feeding their souls instead. This is a book for mothers who yearn to find a balance in their own and their children's lives.

An original Jewish folktale about a girl who knits, a deaf woman, and a piece of blue yarn. When her family invites a deaf woman and her baby to stay, Ruthie, a talented knitter of mittens, wonders how the mother will know if her child wakes in the night. The surprising answer inspires Ruthie to knit a special gift that offers great comfort to mother and baby—and to Ruthie herself. With language and imagery reminiscent of stories told long ago, this modern Jewish folktale will resonate with those who love crafts, anyone who’s encountered someone with physical differences—and with everyone who has ever lost a mitten in the depths of winter.

Ruthie Tober's family is known for the beautiful, warm mittens they knit so when she and her mother meet a deaf woman and her baby and give them shelter, Ruthie decides to design very special mittens for them.

“In the fifties, sleek Mixmasters were replacing rusty eggbeaters, and new pressure-cookers blew their tops in kitchens all over town. There were kids everywhere, and new ‘ranch-style’ houses filled vacant lots. . . . Turquoise Studebakers and dusty-rose Chevy BelAirs with flamboyant fins and lots of chrome replaced dark pre-war cars. Cameras took color snapshots instead of black-and-white. We wore red canvas tennis shoes and lemon yellow shorts, and bright blue popsicles melted down our chins.” —from the Introduction In Penny Loafers & Bobby Pins, the four Sanvidge sisters, whose birthdates span the Baby Boomer period, present a lively chronicle of growing up in the 1950s and 1960s in a small midwestern town. Each sister writes about the facets of her childhood she remembers best, and their lighthearted stories are illustrated with period photos. Sprinkled with mentions of pedal pushers, home permanents, and “two-tone” cars; early TV shows and the first rock and roll; hula hoops, Tiny Tears, and Mr. Potato Head (played with a real potato); and memories of their grandparents who lived nearby, Penny Loafers & Bobby Pins also features “how-tos” for re-creating the fads, foods, crafts, and games the Sanvidge sisters recall in their stories.

A feast of gorgeous projects, shown on gorgeous kids in gorgeous photos. At sleep, at play, in the nursery, and on the go, adorable babies need adorable knits. And here are 40 gloriously unique projects that manage to be utterly charming, fabulous, and usable all at the same time. Baby sets and toys; stroller blankets, jackets, and mittens; and a pure and sweet layette are just the tip of the knitting frenzy that is Itty-Bitty Nursery. Picture cute garden mice on an amazing mobile and a knitted clothesline of miniature knitwear adorning the nursery. Coo at the baby sporting a striped hat called "Frenchie" or Mom with her Fruit Loops felted bag. Marvel at the amazing Cupcake Tea Set and the Three Pigs and a Wolf finger puppets, both perfect for the toddler at play. All of the projects are fresh, lively, and fun. With precisely illustrated instructions, there's something here for every level of knitter, from the greenest beginner to the most experienced craftsperson.

From Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant and illustrator Arthur Howard comes the third book in the beloved Gooseberry Park middle grade series. Kona the Labrador and Gwendolyn the hermit crab love how much it’s been raining in Gooseberry Park. But the weather brings trouble to their home when a lost bobcat kitten is swept down from the mountain and away from his family. Murray the bat rescues the cub, but to bring him home, Kona and Murray will have to venture beyond the comfort and safety of their beloved park…and prepare themselves to say goodbye to their young new friend.

Translations of Beauty maps the tender yet tumultuous relationship of twin sisters Inah and Yunah, from their early years in South Korea to their coming-of-age in Queens, New York. At the heart of the narrative -- told from Yunah's intimate, engaging point of view -- is an unforgettable event from their childhood: an accident that disfigured Inah for life, and the overwhelming sadness and guilt Yunah feels at having been spared. Now that Inah and Yunah are adults, each in search of her own identity while trying to remain true to traditional family values, they must find a way to negotiate their past and become the people they dare -- and dream -- to be. Emotionally charged and thought-provoking, Translations of Beauty is an insightful saga of the immigrant experience that will resonate with all readers.