David Gordon (3)

A solitary mitten who had lost the other one of her pair and a stray sock, fallen out of a laundry basket, pair up in order to find their respective partners in this sweet picture-book romp from author/illustrator David Gordon. Somewhat the worse for wear after their travails in the park, they find their way to a laundromat, and have great fun getting clean. Later, when Sock is stretched by two dogs playing tug-of-war, and Mitten becomes unraveled after her yarn is pulled by a subway car, show more each one of the pair helps the other out. Perhaps, rather than continuing to search for their lost partners, they should accept that they are meant to be together. That they are... smitten!

After reading David Gordon's Extremely Cute Animals Operating Heavy Machinery some time ago, and finding it rather uninspiring, I wasn't particularly motivated to pick up this earlier picture-book. That said, the title - Smitten - struck me, and the cover artwork looked cute, so I decided to give it a chance. I'm glad I did, as I found the story engaging and fun - I particularly liked the scene in the laundromat - and the artwork appealing. Whereas I found Gordon's style rather flat in his later book, here it just felt stylized and cartoon-like. It probably helped that I found Sock and Mitten and their story far more engaging than I did the eponymous cute animals of the other book. Whatever the case may be, this is one I'd recommend to anyone looking for children's stories about friendship in general, or the idea that friends can be found in all sorts of shapes and sizes, in particular. show less

Karen and her friends - all extremely cute animals - attempt to build sand castles one summer day at the park, only to watch Skyler and his friends continually smash their efforts. Eventually getting fed up with these bullies, the cute animals resort to the use of heavy machinery, building a massive sand-castle/amusement park, one not so easily destroyed. Fortunately cute animals are "extremely good at including everyone," and let Skyler and his friends enter the park...

I was underwhelmed by show more this new offering from picture-book author/artist David Gordon, finding the artwork a little flat and the story somewhat unappealing. In trying to put my finger on just what put me off, I find myself coming back to the title, Extremely Cute Animals Operating Heavy Machinery. There's an obtrusive quality to it, as there is to much of the text, as if the author doesn't quite trust his readers to see the juxtapositions he is creating, between cuteness and bullies, cuteness and machines, without pointing them out. I also found the ways in which cuteness was linked to good character in the story rather problematic, as good looks are not (in my experience) a guarantee of being a good person. Mileage varies, of course, so others might still want to check this one out, if they are in the market for children's stories about bullying, but I think there are better options out there. show less

Reviewed by Me for Kids @ TeensReadToo.com

Mittens and socks always come in pairs. I've yet to be able to purchase only one mitten or one sock, even though my dryer has a bad habit of eating only one at a time!

In SMITTEN, a lost mitten atop a fence and a lonely sock dropped from a laundry basket set about on a quest to find their missing partners.

When the trampling feet of school children, a trip into a waste basket, two dogs, and a subway train get through with them, neither mitten nor sock show more are looking or feeling their best.

Fortunately, after a trip through the washer and dryer and a visit to a knitting store (and the aid of a helpful how-to book), both mitten and sock are almost as good as new.

And each has found the perfect pair -- in one another!

This is a truly delightful bedtime story, or a book perfect for a beginning reader. After turning the last page, you can't help but be smitten yourself! show less

Cutest story about a mismatched pair of friends I've read in a long time.