Review Detail

PINKALICIOUS AND THE HOLIDAY SWEATER is a sweet early reader about friendship and making something special. Pinkalicious's class is doing a Secret Snowman exchange, and she has drawn her friend Molly. She knows she wants to make something special for Molly, but she isn't sure what until she sees Molly accidentally spill on her favorite sweater. Pinkalicious decides to knit Molly a new sweater, but it is harder than she expects, and the sweater looks a little funky. When her father comes in with an ugly holiday sweater, Pinkalicious knows just what to do to turn her sweater into the perfect gift for Molly. At the gift exchange the next day, Molly loves her new holiday sweater.

What I loved: This was a really sweet story of friendship and finding the perfect gift for someone special. Pinkalicious puts her heart into what she decides to make, and even when it doesn't seem to be just right, she is ready to try again and make it something more. Children will know that it can be tough to pick something just right, and Pinkalicious shows that observation and putting your heart into it can make a great gift. Her perseverance in the face of trouble is also great to see, and she keeps her creativity flowing to make a tough gift work perfectly. The book ends with her teaching the class to knit, encouraging children to participate in crafts and make something cool.

The font is large and clear, which is great for early reading. The words themselves stay fairly simple and repeat, which is also helpful. The colorful illustrations tell the story well, and children who are fans of Pinkalicious will love seeing her, her family, and friends throughout.

What left me wanting more: The book can be a bit lengthy in places with a lot of text on some pages. However, the sentences do stay short and tell a complete story, which will work well for some readers.

Final verdict: PINKALICIOUS AND THE HOLIDAY SWEATER is a sweet story about friendship and making the perfect gift that is crafted for early readers.