I have to confess, I selected this book because of my own love of yarn. As someone who learned to crochet as an adult, I gladly admit I can never have enough yarn!

This picture book features young Annabelle, who finds a box of yarn that just keeps giving. Annabelle begins by using the yarn from the box to create sweaters for herself and her dog and quickly finds that the yarn supply does not diminish as she shares with her family and friends.

The pictures are simple, yet effective as the author weaves in a heartfelt theme of giving. This is a story I would chose to use in my classroom for students to learn theme. As Annabelle continues to give without asking for anything in return, her box of yarn continues to stay full. That is a powerful message for students to learn about what it means to share freely without an expectation of getting something in return.

Of course, along the way she did discover that not everyone shared her giving heart. That is a reality that students already know – sometimes people have ulterior motives that are not nice. How did Annabelle handle it when someone wanted her box of yarn? She handled it gracefully and discovered that in the end, everything worked out pretty well.

Ideas for Classroom Incorporation of Extra Yarn:

• ELA – theme, figurative language

• Social/Emotional – self-control, kindness, stealing, generosity

• Math – measurement, infinity (vocabulary)