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    The Sweater

    A Story of Community

    Author Larissa Theule On Tour
    Illustrated by Teagan White
    Look inside
    Hardcover
    $18.99 US
    Penguin Young Readers | Viking Books for Young Readers
    8.88"W x 11.25"H x 0.32"D  
    On sale Feb 10, 2026 | 32 Pages | 9780593528945
    Preschool - 2
    Reading Level: Lexile 580L
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    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 and trying to find shelter for the winter. And Holly knows exactly what to do to help.

    Illustrating the transformative role a community can play in caring for its members, The Sweater is a powerful and poignant tale of compassion and acceptance.
    Larissa Theule View titles by Larissa Theule
    TEAGAN WHITE is a freelance designer and illustrator from Chicago, now living and working in Minnesota, where they earned their BFA in Illustration from the Minneapolis College of Art & Design. Their work encompasses intricate drawings of flora and fauna, playful watercolors of anthropomorphic critters, illustrated typography, and everything in between. Teagan lives in the woods across the street from train tracks and a fox den, and spends their free time scolding neighborhood squirrels, exploring forests, rivers, lakes, and swamps, picking wildflowers, and collecting animal bones. This is their second book featuring the Barefoot Critters — Adventures with Barefoot Critters was their first picture book. Teagan lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. View titles by Teagan White
    Praise for The Sweater:

    ★ “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 Reviews, starred review

    ★ “The emphasis on the power of actions, even tiny ones, can spark practical ideas on how to help those in need.”—Booklist, starred review

    ★ “With writing that is deeply moving, art that is as soothing as it is charming, this is a perfect fit for a community-themed storytime or a cozy readaloud just before bed.”—BCCB, starred review

    ★ “Workmanlike language from Theule finds a fitting visual expression in vintage-inflected, earth-toned mixed-media illustrations by White, which suggest both the reality of life’s seasons and the quiet grace of a community in which “every gift mattered to the whole” and each creature belongs to it, too.”—Publisher’s Weekly, starred review

    ★ “This is a truly special book that can be read on different levels, and the illustrations provide an emotional component that will resonate with children. A simple notion carried out with intention, effectively evoking compassion in children across many grade levels.”—School Library Journal, starred review

    “Theule and White’s tender, warm, and inviting yarn will find a welcome home with families and in classrooms.”—The Horn Book
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    About

    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 and trying to find shelter for the winter. And Holly knows exactly what to do to help.

    Illustrating the transformative role a community can play in caring for its members, The Sweater is a powerful and poignant tale of compassion and acceptance.

    Author

    Larissa Theule View titles by Larissa Theule
    TEAGAN WHITE is a freelance designer and illustrator from Chicago, now living and working in Minnesota, where they earned their BFA in Illustration from the Minneapolis College of Art & Design. Their work encompasses intricate drawings of flora and fauna, playful watercolors of anthropomorphic critters, illustrated typography, and everything in between. Teagan lives in the woods across the street from train tracks and a fox den, and spends their free time scolding neighborhood squirrels, exploring forests, rivers, lakes, and swamps, picking wildflowers, and collecting animal bones. This is their second book featuring the Barefoot Critters — Adventures with Barefoot Critters was their first picture book. Teagan lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. View titles by Teagan White

    Praise

    Praise for The Sweater:

    ★ “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 Reviews, starred review

    ★ “The emphasis on the power of actions, even tiny ones, can spark practical ideas on how to help those in need.”—Booklist, starred review

    ★ “With writing that is deeply moving, art that is as soothing as it is charming, this is a perfect fit for a community-themed storytime or a cozy readaloud just before bed.”—BCCB, starred review

    ★ “Workmanlike language from Theule finds a fitting visual expression in vintage-inflected, earth-toned mixed-media illustrations by White, which suggest both the reality of life’s seasons and the quiet grace of a community in which “every gift mattered to the whole” and each creature belongs to it, too.”—Publisher’s Weekly, starred review

    ★ “This is a truly special book that can be read on different levels, and the illustrations provide an emotional component that will resonate with children. A simple notion carried out with intention, effectively evoking compassion in children across many grade levels.”—School Library Journal, starred review

    “Theule and White’s tender, warm, and inviting yarn will find a welcome home with families and in classrooms.”—The Horn Book

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