One Little Lamb

by Elaine Greenstein

Everyone needs a dose of summertime after April's showers. With simple language and endearing illustrations, One Little Lamb shows how one lamb's wool turns into a pair of stripy mittens.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Fiction, Storytime, Knitting

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Occasionally this reviewer will encounter an author who knows how to enter into the heart of a child. Elaine Greenstein is such an author.

It shows in the scope of this book, plus her emphasis on one little lamb and the wool it provides: Wool that can become yarn, then be knitted into mittens for a child's small hands. All told in the present tense, of course.

EVER NOTICE, GOODREADERS?

* Some authors contort themselves, seems to me, attempting to impress children. Maybe rah-rah them.

* Occasionally, depressingly, some authors seem to write picture books for themselves; perhaps convincing themselves that their longing or pain will be just the thing to help an innocent child.

* Then there's Elaine Greenstein. I have a hunch that if she read this book aloud, her voice would sound normal and natural; lively but not too lively; and just perfect for most children.

To Me, This Book Is Most Notable for Its Voice

Call that what you will, Goodreaders: Its tone. Its style. Its gentleness.

Also, the ending is grand: Perfectly circle of life.

THANK YOU, Elaine Greenstein. Both author and illustrator.

For many writers and artists, creating a picture book for children as young as one year old? That would be a challenge, even a chore. But for you? You're a natural.

[Madeline Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a short, simple, and sweet story about one little lamb. The little lamb's wool is used to make gloves to keep a little girl's hands warm in the winter. She returns the favor by visiting the little lamb.

I like this book a lot and just the sweet story it tells of how the lamb's wool warms the girls hands and she appreciates it so much. It also shows how yarn is made which i thought was really neat!

If I were teaching younger kids, I think this would be a great book to have in the classroom. It is easy to read and very cute. I think in the classroom, it could be used to teach younger kids a good lesson on when we do kind things for others, they appreciate it. I also think this could be used in the classroom to help teach kids how to read because of the simplicity of it.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute and simple telling of a lamb giving it's wool and what the wool becomes. Nice easy to follow steps. baby and up

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet. Easy enough for my 6 year old to read almost by herself.

[Addie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is pretty cute but my two year old did not like it one bit.

[Jaime Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

One Little Lamb is a picture book with the main characters being a lamb and two children. The point of view is from one of the children. The setting is a farm and the story shows how a lambs wool is used to make things. It starts off with a lamb and then shows children cutting they wool off, and then combing it to make it look nice and then spinning it into wool. After that, it shows the children dying the wool a different color and then knitting mittens. The story ends by one of the children wearing mittens and saying how now when she visits the lamb, her hands are warm. The main idea of this story is information about wool. It wasn't my favorite picture book but I like how it started and ended with a lamb and the pictures were cute. I think i'd recommend to someone if they really liked lambs. Making wool is a long process.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely short and to the point picture book about how wool is cut off a lamb and made into mittens. Each page only consist of three to five words which makes it a great book for a kindergartener to read on his/her own. I would use this book to help students who are just beginning to read see the progress that they are making. It could help boost their confidence and hopefully encourage them to continue to work hard and practice reading so they can move onto even bigger books.

[Ashley Correll · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about one little lamb wholived on a farm where is wool was cut from his body. The children cleaned and cut the yarn then spun his wool into yarn. Afterwards they dyed it red and green and rolled it into balls. Then, with the yarn they knitted mittens. This book is super cute! Great for young children!

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very short, simple book (each page has a phrase rather than a complete sentence) that takes children through the process of wool becoming yarn and then mittens. The beautiful pictures are probably more than half the appeal, and this also happens to be a nice picture book for any knitters in your life.

[Library Lady Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although simple in structure I think this story would be best read during preschool story time. Toddlers might struggle with the concept of making wool into yarn and then they've missed a key element of the story.
Would be fun to follow up this story with a knitting demonstration.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just in case your kid ever asks, "Where do mittens come from?"

[Marla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply and poetically written, this little book shows how lambs wool becomes mittens. Very cute illustrations.

[Melanie Boss · Rating 2 out of 5]

picture book. great beginning reader, it has fantastic pictures for that age, and it doesn't dumb down the words.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A calming read.

[Miss Pippi the Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

2012 Storytime Theme: Yarn
2018 Storytime Theme: Mittens
Additional Themes: sheep, circular story, wool

Reviewed from a library copy.

[Ridgewood Public Library Youth Services]

Great intro to wool and shearing process for toddlers. Good read aloud. Marion (RPL)

[Trisan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great because I just learned to knit and munchkin immediately made the connection.

[Shelby]

One lamb on a farm gets its wool cut then spun into yarn. The yarn is knitted into mittens to keep the owners hands warm next time she goes outside to visit her lambs.

This book was a super cute one, it was enjoyable. Definitely a starter book for beginner readers.

You could use One Little Lamb for ESL and ELL. It could also be a read aloud for fun where you discuss what other sources materials come from.

[Ashlyn Alexander]

Summary:
This is a short book, about a little lamb who lives on a farm. The lambs wool is cut, and it shows the process of making things out of the lambs wool. The book was very short. It shows the process of making mittens, which children might not know. It can be educational.

Personal opinion:
This book was very short. It was a little confusing at first, and I am not sure that I fully understood it until I read it a second time through. The first time I read it, I thought they had killed the lamb, and taken all the wool. Then I realized the main point.
Each page had about 4 words. It was a short read.

Classroom use:
I am not sure how many kids could connect to this book. It is very short, and I think thats the only reason that a child might pick it to read. I would not use it in a classroom because I do not want kids to pick it up, because it is short. The other reason I might not have it in a classroom is because it is a little confusing.