Extra Yarn

Annabelle, a young girl living in a bleak, wintry town, is surrounded by darkness, cold, and solitude. Everything changes when she discovers a miraculous box filled with colorful yarn—magical, limitless, and full of possibility. As Annabelle knits, her creativity brings people closer and fills the town with color. Her generosity becomes a gift that keeps giving, gaining momentum with each act of kindness and resulting in a surprising twist in the story’s conclusion. This picture book invites children into a world where giving feels wondrous and unexpected, even as a dark force threatens to upend the town’s happiness. At its heart, the story celebrates generosity, creativity, and the triumph of goodwill over evil.  

Extra Yarn has a sweet, simple storyline: a quirky little girl with a dog named Mars begins knitting colorful sweaters and refuses to be discouraged when her neighbor, Nate, teases her. Instead, she knits one for him, too. “And even after she’d made a sweater for Nate and his dog, and for herself and for Mars, she still had extra yarn.” With each new creation, Annabelle always has yarn left over. The idea of extra yarn becomes a repeating motif throughout the story: “but there was still extra yarn.” For parents, the never-ending yarn is a gentle reminder that generosity and kindness have no limits. For young readers, the endless yarn creates a joyful and imaginative adventure. As the story unfolds, more and more color appears in the artwork, mirroring the growing warmth Annabelle brings to her world. 

Colorful knitting gradually appears on neighbors, pets, and wild animals—first as sweaters, scarves, and hats, and eventually even on the town’s trees and buildings. These scenes evoke the real-world art practice of yarn bombing, where public objects like trees, fences, and poles are wrapped in vibrant knitted creations. Comically, “Annabelle made sweaters for things that didn’t even wear sweaters.” Young readers will enjoy artwork revealing a once-dreary town transformed into a colorful, textured landscape. What begins as a simple sweater soon elevates Annabelle to local celebrity status for her miraculous knitting. “News spread of this remarkable girl who never ran out of yarn.” 

In a dramatic turn, a villainous archduke from a faraway land appears, recognizing the magical power of Annabelle’s yarn. He demands that she sell the box to him, offering millions of dollars in return. Annabelle refuses. The same little girl whose endless generosity and creativity have brightened her town has no interest in wealth, and her refusal only fuels the villain’s anger. He hires robbers to steal the box, an act that threatens to destroy Annabelle’s joy. Yet even as the yarn is taken from her, it becomes clear that Annabelle’s true gifts—her generosity, kindness, and unwavering goodwill—can never be stolen. They live within her, radiating a happiness no one else can claim. In the end, the box returns to Annabelle as mysteriously as it arrived. 

Extra Yarn has received many awards, including a Caldecott Honor and a spot on Time Magazine’s 100 Best Children’s Books of All Time. Jon Klassen’s artwork uses striking visual contrasts that complement Barnett’s storytelling. Most of the artwork is rendered in monochromatic or black-and-white tones, with the knitted pieces growing more vibrant as the narrative progresses. Created with a blend of pencil work, selective color, and digital techniques, the illustrations carry a vintage, minimalistic quality. Klassen’s mix of hard and soft edges mirrors the story’s shift from the ordinary to the magical. Each page is enriched with artwork, much of it unfolding in expansive full spreads. Extra Yarn shines when read aloud, especially with thoughtful pacing. Young readers will giggle at the imaginative, silly scenes of animals bundled up in sweaters. The story builds to a captivating finale that restores justice and offers relief when the box finds its way back to its rightful owner. In the end, goodwill wins.  

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• The story touches only lightly on burglary and vengeance, presented in a way that remains gentle and age appropriate. The villainous archduke “hired three robbers to break into Annabelle’s house, and they stole the box.” When he later finds out the box is empty, he yells, “Little girl, I curse you with my family’s curse! You will never be happy again!” The story unfolds much like a traditional fairy tale, complete with a clear antagonist and a moral resolution. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

• None 

Language  

• None 

Supernatural 

• The book carries a sense of quiet magic, the kind that feels whimsical rather than spiritual or supernatural, making it especially gentle and reassuring for young readers. 

Spiritual Content  

• None 

by Maureen Lowe