The Truly Terribly Horrible Sweater... That Grandma Knit

by Debbie Macomber, Vincent Nguyen (Illustrator), Mary Lou Carney

Overview

Cameron loves his grandmother. She knows just what makes him tick. That's why he can't figure out why Grandma would send him a sweater—a truly terribly horrible sweater—for his birthday.

Cameron pours mustard on his sweater. He puts it on his dog (in the rain). He even tries to send it to the thrift shop. But nothing works.

Now Grandma is coming for the holidays, and Cameron has to wear her gift to him. But what's he going to say when she asks what he thinks about the sweater she made?

With a sure hand and a light touch, worldwide bestseller Debbie Macomber and her new writing partner, Mary Lou Carney, reveal that what Grandma knit into Cameron's sweater is the greatest gift of all.

Debbie and Mary Lou have included simple knitting instructions and an original knitting pattern for Cameron's sweater. You can find them at the back of this book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061650932
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	09/29/2009
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Debbie Macomber has more than 100 million copies of her books in print, and her stories about home and family have a worldwide audience and have been translated into twenty-three languages. In addition to being a #1 New York Times bestseller in fiction many times over, she also has an enormous following among knitters as the author of dozens of pattern and craft books. In 2008, she launched a branded line of knitting products through Leisure Arts, the company that publishes her knitting guides. Debbie and her husband, Wayne, have four children and nine grandchildren, and split their time between Washington State and Florida. This is Debbie’s second picture book co-authored with Mary Lou Carney; their first, The Truly Terribly Horrible Sweaer . . . That Grandma Knit, was published in 2009.

Vincent Nguyen is not a knitter, but he is a painter, an illustrator, and an artist for feature films large and small. Originally from Houston, Texas, he moved to New York to attend the School of Visual Arts. He currently lives in New York City, where he works as a concept artist for Blue Sky Studios. He has illustrated several books, but this is his first for HarperCollins.

Mary Lou Carney is the editor of two magazines for young people—Guideposts for Teens and Guideposts for Kids. She is the author of several picture books for the Christian and educational markets, including Bubble Gum & Chalk Dust: Prayers and Poems for Teachers, and Absolutely Angels: Poems for Children and Other Believers (Boyds Mills Press). This is Mary Lou’s second picture book coauthored with Debbie; their first, The Truly Terribly Horrible Sweaer . . . That Grandma Knit, was published in 2009.

Hometown:

Port Orchard, Washington

Date of Birth:

October 22, 1948

Place of Birth:

Yakima, Washington

Education:

Graduated from high school in 1966; attended community college

Website:

http://www.debbiemacomber.com

Editorial Reviews

Young Cameron is counting on Grandma Susan to come through with a cool gift for his birthday. Instead, he gets a hideous sweater—one that defies all the boy's attempts at eradication (including donating it to the church rummage sale and dousing it in condiments). But Cameron changes his tune when Grandma explains the significance behind each of the colors in the sweater's lovingly stitched stripes (green commemorates a winning soccer goal, yellow signifies that he is “the sunshine of all our lives”). Macomber, a bestselling romance novelist making her picture book debut, and Carney (Tyler Timothy Bradford and the Birthday Surprise) do little to freshen up a chestnut premise—the narration feels like a well-intentioned youth sermon, and Cameron's efforts to rid himself of the sweater never gain comic momentum. Nguyen's (Gorilla Garage) characters tend toward a Plasticine quality reminiscent of the humans in the Toy Story movies, but his paintings pick up a considerable amount of energy and beauty whenever the story moves beyond its domestic confines. Ages 3–7. (Oct.)\

Publishers Weekly

PreS-Gr 2—Instead of the anticipated video game or remote-control car, Cameron's birthday gift from his grandmother turns out to be a hand-knit sweater in a pattern of red, green, yellow, blue, and orange stripes. Vowing never to wear it, he tries many ways to get rid of the detested garment—such as hiding it in his closet or adding it to a rummage sale box—but is thwarted at every turn by his well-meaning parents. When Grandma visits at Christmas, Cameron must finally don the dreaded garment. His grandmother lovingly explains to him how each color represents a quality she admires in her grandson, and Cameron begins to appreciate that this one-of-a-kind item was made with an enormous amount of love. Indeed, he realizes he would be proud to wear it "for a very long time." Full-color, soft-edged illustrations depict characters with nearly identical, startled-looking eyes that pop and will probably be less disconcerting to children than adults. The resolution is predictable, but the story is humorously engaging and imparts a timeless lesson. Knitting instructions and a pattern for Cameron's sweater are included.—Kathleen Finn, St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, VT

School Library Journal

Macomber, a bestselling author for adults, and Carney join forces for an amusing story about a boy who receives a handmade, striped sweater as a birthday gift from his grandmother. Cameron hates the sweater with a passion due to its vibrant colors and large buttons. He tries to put his sweater on the dog, hide it, give it away and ruin it with stains, but finally he has to wear it when Grandma comes to visit. She explains that she chose each color for a specific memory of her grandson, and Cameron changes his mind and decides the sweater looks fine after all. This resulting change of heart seems awfully adult for an opinionated little boy, and his grandmother's explanation of her color choices will be a bit too sticky-sweet for many kids (and some parents). Nguyen's illustrations have a surrealistic feeling, with a dark, moody palette, shadowy backgrounds and oddly robotic eyes for the characters. Final pages include instructions for knitting and a pattern for the striped sweater. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews