At first we see Baba spinning and rolling the yarn while the main illustrations show Nicki, mittenless, playing in the snow. When the two figures join on the second page main picture and Baba begins knitting the white mittens, the scene in the frame switches to the outdoors. As the boy's play disturbs the animal in his natural habitat, the creature is forced to move and that's when it invades the mitten. Is it merely decorative or does it pull your eye to something important. Look at the background of each frame.
Activities Identify the point at which the tale and the mitten have stretched beyond credulity.
Find out the sizes of each of these animals and get into some math activities by estimating how big the mitten would have to have grown. Notice the parts of the book which are very realistic. She has shown or told about the animals who live in that area, their specific natural habitat, their appearance and their defense mechanisms. Look at the language, especially the verbs, that Brett uses in her story. The animals swoop, lumber, trot, snuffle, bump and jostle.