Description
From one of Canada's most loved and lauded children's writers comes a new tale about the joy of making things, the strength of community, and the warm reach of generosity. This beautifully illustrated storybook blends poetry and prose, infused with Fitch's trademark wit and playfulness, to tell the story of Polly MacCauley, a bit of a mystery in her community of River John, who spends her time making wondrous things with wool. When Star, a very special lamb, is born on a nearby farm, Polly knows that with Star's wool she can make her "finest, divinest, wooliest gift of all." But the greedy Count and Countess of far-off Wooland have learned about the lamb's arrival, too, and are determined to add her to their flock.
Will the good folk of River John join together to see that Star gets to her rightful home? Will Polly be able to finish her masterpiece? Darka Erdelji's gorgeous illustrations have just the right amount of whimsy, perfectly capturing the spirit of Fitch's touching yarn.
Divided into nine short sections, this is a grand book to share aloud, or read alone. It will appeal to children of all ages. And to knitters, weavers, spinners and the warm-hearted everywhere.
Will the good folk of River John join together to see that Star gets to her rightful home? Will Polly be able to finish her masterpiece? Darka Erdelji's gorgeous illustrations have just the right amount of whimsy, perfectly capturing the spirit of Fitch's touching yarn.
Divided into nine short sections, this is a grand book to share aloud, or read alone. It will appeal to children of all ages. And to knitters, weavers, spinners and the warm-hearted everywhere.
Author Bio
Sheree Fitch is an award-winning poet, storyteller, and educator. Her picture books, novels, and plays have delighted both children and adults since 1987. Sheree lives with her husband, Gilles, in River John, Nova Scotia, on their hobby farm, Happy Doodle Do, with a donkey, two dogs, a cat, and a few other critters. They run a seasonal bookstore, Mabel Murple?s Book Shoppe and Dreamery, which highlights storytelling, literacy, Atlantic Canadian books and writers. Visit her at shereefitch.com.
A native of Slovenia, Darka Erdelji received a Masters of Arts in Puppet Scenography from Prague's Akadmie Muzickych Umeni. She lived in St. John's for several years; during that time, she began collaborating with Andy Jones, first on their puppet play "The Queen of Paradise's Garden", and then on their acclaimed series of illustrated Jack tales. Darka currently lives in Maribor, Slovenia, and designs puppets for Lutkovno Gledalis'e Maribor, a state-of-the-art puppet theatre housed in a renovated medieval monastery. She has illustrated books in Canada and Slovenia.
Prizes
- Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children’s LiteratureShort-listed 2018
Review Quotes
"... a read-aloud story of story-telling breadth, deep and involved and rich with the essence of life. It has love, sadness, grief, death, conflict, compassion and hope, so much hope. There will be cheers and tears and bleats of appreciation for a story of history and connectedness, generosity and inspiration. ... And though Polly MacCauley's Finest Divinest Woolliest Gift of all is firmly rooted in the Maritimes of her home, Sheree Fitch has woven a story for the world in both context and spirit."
"a treasure to be cherished!"
"Art, collaboration, and community are the threads that tie this warm story together."
