Fix and Stitch

 
4.5 (2)
 
0.0 (0)
299 0
Fix and Stitch
Author(s)
Co-Authors / Illustrators
Age Range
4+
Release Date
August 15, 2023
ISBN
978-1534111707
Buy This Book
      
Squirrel is busy running his tailoring shop, Fix and Stitch: Tailor for all Needs. He can thread a needle and mend a tear in the wink of an eye. But now that the leaves have fallen and the birds have flown south, it's time for Squirrel to close the shop. He must prepare his winter home before the snow comes. But just as Squirrel goes to collect materials for his winter home, neighbors arrive, needing his special talents and attention. And Squirrel just can't say no to someone asking for help, whether it's fixing a rip in a favorite coat to problem-solving a stinky situation. He is always there for his friends. But what happens if Squirrel doesn't take time to care of himself and what he needs to do? Who will be there to help him? This story offers a gentle reminder that while taking care of others is important, one still needs to make time for oneself.

Editor reviews

2 reviews
Teaching Kindness
Overall rating
 
5.0
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Squirrel is amazing at stitching and fixing things, but he needs to get ready for the upcoming winter. As word of his skills is passed from neighbor to neighbor, everyone needs something fixed and now know who to go to. While Squirrel loves helping his friends, he grows stressed because winter is getting closer and he keeps getting interrupted every time he tries to gather things. All his friends promise to help him, but will they come through in the end?

FIX AND STITCH is a children's picture book that teaches kindness and how rewarding it is to help others. The overall friendship theme is heartwarming and I love how the animals all are different species. The illustrations are soft and beautifully detailed. Even though Squirrel knows he has a lot to do, he pauses to help his friends. He puts others before himself and this is something children can learn from. The world would be a much better place if there was more kindness.


Final Verdict: I would recommend this to children aged four and up who love reading about animals. This is a sweet story that should be shared with others.
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Twist on Classic Fables
Overall rating
 
4.0
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
4.0
Squirrel runs a tailoring shop, but as winter approaches, he needs to close up and build his nest. As he attempts to do this, his friend Fox appears with a ripped coat, begging him to fix it, saying he will help Squirrel build his nest. Before he knows it, he is involved in projects to enable Porcupine to be hugged, Skunk to contain his odor in a flowered romper, and Rabbit to carry her many babies in a Payne and Rey's Katy No-Pocket style jumper. As the snow starts to fall, he finally makes his way into the forest to gather his materials and build shelter for the winter, and to his surprise, is greeted by his customers, who are assembled to help him with his project.
Good Points
This had the classic feel of Aesop's The Grasshopper and the Ant fable, but an author's note at the end puts a self-care spin on it. Yes, Squirrel is prepared and his friends are not, but should he have said no to their requests or asked them for help before selflessly doing their bidding? I think the better question is why the friends felt the need to wait until the last minute for some of their projects.

The illustrations also have a soft, crayon or chalk pastel feel to them, with the forest background filled with many details that point toward late fall and winter. The animals are adorable and filled with personality; Fox is especially fun, with his beautiful coat.

Books about helping others were always in frequent rotation in my household, and my daughters are both steadfast in their determination to take grocery carts abandoned in store parking lots back to the store as a result. While my favorite was always the salty attitude of The Little Red Hen, Fix and Stitch is a gentler tale for fans of books that show good deeds, like Papp's Madeline Finn and the Library Dog, Rocco's Blizzard or Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson.
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