Cover Image: The Never-Ending Sweater

The Never-Ending Sweater

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Member Reviews

Intergenerational love always hits me in the feels. Grandma knits Peter a very big sweater. Eventually, he grows into it. When it fits, he realizes it must be passed on so the next person.

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A rather cozy story, one more appropriate for an older reader than a preschooler. It's more reflective and will appeal as much to adult readers as children.

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A sweet picture book about a grandmothers's gift of a handknit sweater that her grandson grows into and travels all around the world with him. Darling illustrations.

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I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
The story follows Peter as he wears his sweater. It is heartwarming in the message of family and connection, both through objects (the sweater) and places (grandma's home).

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How many hours does it take to knit someone a sweater? It’s hard to count, easy as it is to lose track of time while pursuing a labour of love. As each touch of the needle tips marks time, the knitter sinks into the texture, the patterns, the colours, and knitting become akin to meditation: thoughts of the eventual bearer of this care-imbued gift pull tenderly on the strand of wool. That the sweater, socks, or toque will bring warmth to their wearer is, of course not their true value: as anyone who has been lucky enough to receive one of these hand-knit treasures knows, what is precious is the connection between the maker and the receiver. It is ever a comfort to know that every time the sweater descends over the head, the knitter will come to mind, their smile appear, and their love infuse every interlocking loop.

Erin Welch’s The Never-Ending Sweater is a beautiful homage to intergenerational connections forged through making and sharing. This charming story of a young boy named Peter and the sweater his grandmother has made for him shows the power of love and connection in helping a child to develop, confident and self-assured, able to take risks and to venture out into the world.

When Peter is young, she crafts for him a purple sweater, just as he has requested, “too big,” which she has carefully designed to “survive the most exciting of adventures.” Peter’s childhood of cranberry picking and clamming by the sea gives way to leaving his village in search of new experiences, provisioned with only “a smoked-oyster sandwich, a tin of tea, three pairs of socks and, of course, his purple sweater.” Throughout his pilgrimage he relays his ‘most exciting of adventures’ to his grandmother, themselves often related to knitting, eventually returning to his Maritime home where the sweater reveals its deepest gift as a conduit and a continuity between generations.

I loved this story and found myself reminiscing about my own Nana and the sweaters that she made for me. What joy I found as a child in wearing my rainbow jacket, and to this day, when I look upon it and hold it in my hands, more than forty years later, I still feel her warmth and love emanating from every stitch.

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So sad that I didn't notice that this would be archived prior to its pub date as I was looking forward to it. I'll give it 3 stars just for the cover and the premise but I've seen other people enjoyed it so I'll get my hands on it soon.

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I read this book with my daughter who absolutely loved the coziness of it. The story follows a young man who grows up with his grandmother in a northern coastal town (it gave me serious Newfoundland vibes). He decides to leave and explore the world, but takes along with him the sweater his grandmother knit for him as a child. His journey is beautiful, but when he returns home and meets the new family next door, it gave me all the feels. My daughter really identified with the little boy, and we had a great talk about why people sometimes have to leave their homes.

Absolutely recommend to anyone with littles and are trying to build empathy and/or discuss refugees.

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Such a beautiful story! I loved the sense of family and importance of home. What a wise little boy to ask his grandmother to make him a too large sweater, one that he could wear until he grew into it (and beyond). The ending is sweetly poignant, and I love how the story comes full circle with the gifting of the sweater to someone who needs it. Lovely!

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This book has great illustrations, and the story is so sweet. I love the idea of a slightly too big sweater being worn for a long time and then passed on to other generations.

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I am a knitter and this book felt very special to me. I love the illustrations, but I also really love the story. It shows how things can be made with love, and made to last. It also shows the universal idea of handcrafts and heirlooms.
I love that he traveled the world and also found someone to pass the sweater on to.

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This is a Children's Book that I read to my kids. I found this book to be a very touching story, and I love the story. My kids are very close to their Great Grandma (my Grandma), but I think a lot of younger people forget to stop and think about the older people in their lives. I think the pictures were ok. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

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I really enjoyed reading this book. I love the relationships with different generations. Connections with family and past generations is so important and the story and the illustration weave together a beautiful story that I will love to share with my students.

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I love this book! Little Peter asked his grandmother for a sweater that was "too big" when he was very very young. the sweater travels with him throughout his life, going on adventures and following life's paths wherever they may lead him. When Peter eventually returns to his childhood home, he befriends the little neighbor boy and the bond they share is so precious and meaningful, to the both of them.

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I adored the illustrations in this book and loved the scenery and whimsical details. I appreciate the author's focus on slow fashion and using the items we already own rather than overconsumption. I do wish that the Grandmother could have made an appearance and greeted her grandson when he returned from his travels, and perhaps even been there for the passing of the sweater to the next generation. The grandson's time away didn't take many pages up in the book, but was a very long amount of time - I didn't fully grasp how long until he came home because a handful of countries could be visited in a year or two rather than decades. He frequently called town "his grandmother's town" so I was disappointed she wasn't there when he came home.

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This book is adorable! The illustrations are vibrant and engaging. The story is simple but sweet and showcases a grandmother's love. This would be a great book to add to any classroom library!

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What a lovely read! You can feel the close bond that this grandmother and grandson share. I love the symbolism of the purple sweater, the grandson carrying his grandmother's love throughout all of his adventures. The illustrations are calming and fit well with the text. Over all a very meaningful read.

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This book was heartwarming. I wish the grandson grew up and was able to give the sweater to his OWN son to carry on the tradition though.

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This beautifully illustrated picture book follows the main character and the sweater his grandmother knit him through the adventures of his life. The story is sweet and I enjoyed its circuity. I would have liked spending more time with the main character as a boy.

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I'll probably always be a sucker for any book that involves a child and their grandparent, but this was especially sweet. I loved the incorporation of a special, handmade item holding such a place in someone's heart, as I am the exact same way, cherishing clothing or jewelry or even ticket stubs for years and years. I loved the idea that you can go out and explore the world and always return home when you're ready. And I especially loved the mention of how sometimes we've gotten what we need from something and are ready to pass it along to someone who needs it more. Beautifully illustrated, too!

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I appreciate what the book was trying to convey and what the sweater represented, but the execution didn't work for me. Although richly illustrated, the story felt choppy and disjointed. I would have liked more pages and content instead of things being glossed over.

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