1st & 2nd Grade Books > Extra Yarn

Extra Yarn

Written by: Mac Barnett / Illustrated by: Jon Klassen / Publisher: Keter Publishing House

Distribution: January 2021

Annabelle lives in a black-and-white world, where everything is drab. So when she finds a box filled with yarn of every color, she makes a sweater for herself, for her dog, her classmates, even for houses and cars. Soon an evil archduke with a sinister mustache “who was very fond of clothes” hears about the magic box of never-ending yarn, and he wants it for his own. This amusing, magical story celebrates a child’s generosity, ingenuity and her ability to change the world around her.

Family Activities

In Extra Yarn, magic yarn connects adults to children, animals to humans, and a community to its town. Annabelle's yarn does not end when she uses it to knit for everyone around her, symbolizing endless giving to others. Like it, a candle burning bright accompanies us throughout the Jewish ...

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Classroom Activities

Dear Parents,

 

 

In Extra Yarn, magic yarn connects adults to children, animals to humans, and a community to its town.

Annabelle's yarn does not end when she uses it to knit for everyone around her, symbolizing endless giving to others. Like it, a candle burning bright accompanies us throughout the Jewish calendar as an expression of human giving. Our Rabbis have likened one person's giving to another to infinite light in the following excerpt:

 

As a person who lights one candle from another,

      and the second burns while the first is not diminished.              [Bamidbar Rabbah, 13]

פעילות בחיק המשפחה

  • Discussing – The giving that never ends Annabelle was a happy child. What, do you think, made her happy? How do you feel when you give to others? Can you think of something like Annabelle's yarn – things you can give others many times over?
  • Playing – Don't touch the yarn Yarn can be used to create a track for a single-rule game "Don’t touch the yarn!". How do you play? Tie lots of pieces of rope, string and lace together to create long "yarn", and wind it round the furniture and other objects in the room. Create an obstacle course that players must follow without touching the yarn: you can jump over it, crawl under it, or choose any creative way to avoid it, as long as you don’t touch it!
  • Doing some arts & crafts – familywear Annabelle knit more and more colorful clothes that made all her townspeople happy. Like her, you too could create your very own attire as a family fashion statement. Think of the kind of special piece of clothing you would like to make: Should it be a certain color shirt? An interesting brooch? A bracelet, adorned hat, special socks, or other item of clothing your entire family agrees on?
  • Some more arts & crafts Annabelle loves knitting. Are there any kinds of arts or crafts that both you and your child enjoy doing? Perhaps one of you loves to cook, while the other is a plasticine sculptor? You may enjoy asking each family member what kind of art or craft they like to engage in, and suggest joining then to gain some hands-on experience. Suggestions for arts & crafts activities using yarn can be found on our website and the PJLibrary Pinterest page.

רעיונות לשילוב הספר בגן

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