Molk, Laurel. Knitting for Dogs. Random House Studio, 2022. 978-0-593-43458-1. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-2.

Izzy is a talented maker. She has made birdhouses, bee houses, a wooden swing, and more. One day, she decides to take up knitting. She has no problem knitting scarves and hats, but when she tries to knit a sweater, it doesn’t turn out as planned. She reassures her dog, Max, that “failure is part of the creative process.” Again and again, Izzy tries to knit sweaters, but each one turns out even more disastrous than the one before. Finally, just as she is about to give up, inspiration strikes. Izzy figures out a way to repurpose her sweaters, and this idea is even more brilliant than her original plan! Cheerful illustrations, rendered in watercolor, pen-and-ink, and Photoshop, accompany this uplifting tale of persistence. End matter includes instructions for knitting a scarf, but they are very vague; children certainly would need additional guidance to complete this project.

THOUGHTS: I absolutely love the message this story sends about making mistakes during the creative process. It is important for students to realize that mistakes can always be fixed, and sometimes, they can even lead to fabulous new outcomes. This would be the perfect story to share with students before beginning a new art project. 

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member