(TOO-lee)
THE SWEATER
Illustrated by Teagan White
Publishes Feb. 10, 2026, Viking Children's Books
An unforgettable picture book about the power of kindness and the importance of community.
As Holly takes her morning stroll in the thicket, she comes across a small bird. It was plain to see he’d been through some things. The bird is alone in a new place, trying to find shelter for the winter. And Holly knows exactly what to do to help. Together with the other animals, Holly makes sure that the little bird feels welcome and safe.
Illustrating the transformative role a community can play in caring for its members, The Sweater is a powerful and poignant tale of acceptance and compassion.
★ "A woodland community rallies around a nervous newcomer.
A bird lands in Holly the raccoon’s neighborhood, head bent and beak silent. When Holly approaches him, he hops into a hole in a tree, scared to interact. Holly understands: “Life is heavy sometimes.” She responds with instinctual kindness, collecting ribbons, yarn, trinkets, and sticks from other forest dwellers, including a majestic moose, a minuscule moth, and a pair of elegant cranes. Using their offerings, she knits the bird a sweater for warmth and, with help from the other animals, helps him shore up his dwelling. As winter descends, the animals hunker down in separate homes, missing one another and wishing for spring, which arrives with the gift of the grateful bird’s sweet song. Spare, thoughtful prose accompanies the interactions of playfully imagined, cozily dressed animals. Seasonal transitions are reflected in falling leaves and bare branches but appear even more powerfully in shifting shades of sunlight. Late autumn is a hazy blue-orange, winter a palette of brittle pink, and the spring sun’s golden-peach emergence communicates a visceral sense of relief to readers. The message of a community’s strength, even in isolation, echoes expressions of Covid-19-era solidarity, but the hope and care each loving interaction exudes has a timeless quality, too. An enduring reflection on seasons of togetherness and separation, in nature and in life." ―Kirkus, starred review
.
