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Silliness, creativity, and intrigue oh my! Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen is the perfect wintertime read-aloud for elementary classrooms or during field trips to the library. This heartfelt and humorous story has wide appeal for ages 5 through 12 and features themes of generosity, kindness, and community.
A young girl and her magical box of yarn transform a small town, but an evil archduke wants the box for himself. This story never fails to capture the attention of students and get them laughing. As the girl's knitting projects wrap townsfolk, animals, and objects, you'll begin to hear chuckles. When the evil Archduke arrives offering her TEN million dollars for the magical box, they'll be agog at her refusal and then aghast at the Archduke's thievery. As the magical box miraculously returns to the girl and you turn the last page, you'll have a classroom of picture book converts following you to the library for more.
How to introduce the book
Here is an intro blurb to set the stage for students before reading the book aloud:
"If you could have a magical box that never ran out of one item, what would you want that item to be? Money? Snacks? What about yarn? Do you think you could change the world with a magical box of yarn? Well, that's exactly what happens in this story..."
Discussion Questions
Here are some follow-up questions for further engagement:
What did you think? Thumbs up or thumbs down for Extra Yarn?
Raise your hand if you would have given up the magical box for one million dollars...what about two million...ten million? Raise your hand if you would NOT give up the box. Why?
I told you it would be a story about changing the world with yarn. How did Annabelle's knitting cause changes in her town?
Why do you think the box wasn't magical for the Archduke? Do you think it could be magic for anyone besides Annabelle?
What do you think the Archduke will do next?
tAKE HOME ACTIVITY
Providing an extension activity for students to enjoy after you leave OR to take home will cement your visit in their minds and increase the likelihood that caregivers become aware of the library.
Provide students with blank paper to draw their favorite scene from the story OR a sweater coloring page to design their own sweater (like one of these). Include a note to parents and caregivers on the backside of the sheet, along with the library's contact info, read-alikes for the story you read, and a list of upcoming events for their age group.
More Extension Activities
If time and budget allow, here are more activities to enjoy with Extra Yarn or to use in a Book Club or Book Party!
Yarn Bombing
Did you know yarn bombing is a thing?! Show photos and ask students what they think. There are some fun photos here. Plus, don't miss Magda Sayeg's 5-minute TED Talk "How yarn bombing grew into a worldwide movement."
Finger knitting
All you need is yarn and your fingers. Easy-to-follow instructions with photos can be found on the blog One Little Project. I've had lots of fun leading groups of tweens in finger knitting but have yet to try it with younger kiddos.
Read-Alikes
If your readers love Extra Yarn, they will also enjoy:
Visit The Youth Desk's Outreach page for more great classroom read-alouds and tips.