Granny McFlitter: The Knit Before Christmas

When the book opened with "'Twas the night before Christmas" I knew it was going to be a great read as the title - The Knit Before Christmas - immediately made me think of the original poem by Clement C Moore.  The rhyming, lilting text flows beautifully throughout, making it extremely easy to read aloud.  The rhyming never appears forced, and littlies will enjoy joining in with the refrain "But did Granny stop knitting? Oh no, she did not... " 

The clear, vibrant pictures are very appealing too.  The animals look really cute, and even those children who need knitting explained to them will then easily be able to recognise which items in the illustrations have been knitted and will love pointing them out to the reader.

There is a nod to New Zealand, as the sleigh is pulled by kea.  However, the book could easily be enjoyed across the world and the endearing rare Tufted Tweetlebird created by the author and illustrator will be adored by children.  I personally loved the sloth on the last page who had taken up knitting too.

Not only is this a great book for libraries, but it's also one which will undoubtedly be lovingly shared by grandparents and their grandchildren, especially those who can knit!

Title: Granny McFlitter: The Knit Before Christmas

Author: Heather Haylock

Illustrator: Lael Chisholm

Publisher: Penguin Random House

ISBN: 9780143775829

RRP: $19.99

Format: Paperback

Date of Publication: October 2022

Ages: 3-7 years

Themes: Christmas, problem-solving and knitting

Do you have any advisory warnings for this book? No

Would this book work as a read aloud? Definitely!

Is there a particular part of the country that it’s set in? No

Reviewer: Nadine Molloy, Library Assistant, Remarkables Primary School, Queenstown, Otago

How are you recommending this book? Highly recommended

What’s the book’s opening sentence? Twas the night before Christmas, and down at the zoo, the keepers were ready; the animals, too.

Buy this book here.