Sweater Weather

by Matt Phelan, Matt Phelan (Illustrator)

Overview

What a perfect autumn day! Papa Bear tells his cubs to bundle up in the cozy sweaters he knitted for them—but that is easier said than done. Award-winning author-artist Matt Phelan has created a hilarious and warmhearted ode to fall, patience, and knitting. Sweater Weather will be adored by fans of Anna Dewdney and Tad Hills.

Sweaters on? Not yet!

The air is crisp, and the leaves are bright—it’s the perfect autumn day to enjoy the outdoors. Papa Bear instructs his cubs to put on their sweaters, and patiently waits downstairs. When he checks on them, he learns that getting ready is no simple task. But even if this lovable bear family misses out on their planned outing, the evening sky still holds a beautiful surprise.

Acclaimed author-artist Matt Phelan’s rhythmic, repetitive text and his warm, expressive watercolor paintings are both humorous and rewarding. Brimming with laughter and love from this large bear family, Sweater Weather is an irresistible choice to curl up with during storytime, no matter what the weather is. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062934147
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	10/19/2021
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	622,363
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Matt Phelan is the author and illustrator of several novels for young readers, including the five books in the acclaimed Plum series and Knights vs. Dinosaurs and its two sequels. Matt Phelan’s picture books include Sweater Weather, Turtle Walk, Pignic, and Druthers. He is also the creator of the graphic novels The Storm in the Barn (winner of a Scott O’Dell Award), Around the World, Bluffton, and the New York Times bestseller Snow White: A Graphic Novel. Matt Phelan lives in Pennsylvania.

Matt Phelan is the author and illustrator of several novels for young readers, including the five books in the acclaimed Plum series and Knights vs. Dinosaurs and its two sequels. Matt Phelan’s picture books include Sweater Weather, Turtle Walk, Pignic, and Druthers. He is also the creator of the graphic novels The Storm in the Barn (winner of a Scott O’Dell Award), Around the World, Bluffton, and the New York Times bestseller Snow White: A Graphic Novel. Matt Phelan lives in Pennsylvania.

Editorial Reviews

★ 08/16/2021

Getting ready to go out is a major production for a bear parent overseeing seven obstreperous cubs. In Phelan’s (Turtle Walk) cozy domestic world, the stubby cubs—miniature versions of their huge, furry parent—are all dressed in pajamas; an even smaller infant cub crawls thoughtfully over the rug. “Sweaters on!” orders the adult, after viewing the glorious autumn day outside. The cubs’ expressions telegraph a variety of reactions: worry, skepticism, cheerful anticipation. Leaving the bears to it and settling down to knit, the bear caretaker eventually calls upstairs to check: “Sweaters on?” “Not yet,” comes the answer. In nearly wordless vignettes, gestures and facial expressions do the comedic work as Phelan imagines ever more hilarious ways for small cubs to don big sweaters. When the family finally makes it out the door, a slight disappointment, and a small miracle, await. Phelan creates instantly likeable characters and a story that centers parenting seasoned enough to realize that setbacks are inevitable—and that makes space to enjoy the day, and beauty of nature, anyway. Ages 4–8. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Getting ready to go out is a major production for a bear parent overseeing seven obstreperous cubs. . . . In nearly wordless vignettes, gestures and facial expressions do the comedic work as Phelan imagines ever more hilarious ways for small cubs to don big sweaters. . . . Phelan creates instantly likeable characters and a story that centers parenting seasoned enough to realize that setbacks are inevitable—and that makes space to enjoy the day, and beauty of nature, anyway.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“‘Sweaters ON!’ the bear declares to a roomful of pajama-wearing cubs, and the story takes off. Wrangling seven small bears into sweaters is no easy feat, and the gloriously chaotic effort goes on . . . Phelan’s soft, colorful art, created with pencil, ink, and watercolor, amplifies the coziness of all the bears and their clothing. . . . The humor of the ending is just right, as is the large bear’s last directive—'Pajamas ON!’—leading to the story’s natural ending as a bedtime book. This tribute to the realities of parenting small children (and bears) revels in the humor and joy that can be found when the best-laid plans go awry.” — Horn Book (starred review)

“It’s time for the seven little bears to get their sweaters on! For these independent cubs (and one especially adorable baby bear), getting dressed is trickier than it seems. . . . A lovely story of one of life’s magical moments, when a family takes time to appreciate nature and each other’s companionship. Readers will want to don their own comfy sweaters and snuggle up with their loved ones. A deceptively simple but warm and cozy celebration of autumn sweater weather.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“A warm read for the fall. Phelan’s text is remarkably spare, with just a few precise phrases to knit together a narrative about an adult bear and their seven cubs. . . . Humorous watercolors show their little round bodies packed like sausages into a rainbow array of sweaters—including one sweater with two cubs stuffed inside. The struggle continues for several pages, with the patient grown-up bear attempting to help without much luck. . . . Cozy up with this picture book.” — Kirkus Reviews

“The autumn colors are here and Papa Bear wants to take his cadre of cubs out to enjoy the crisp weather. . . . Caretakers will ruefully recognize the helter-skelter lawlessness that marks nearly all attempts to get a group of kiddos ready to go somewhere, and youngsters too will recognize the mischievous mayhem that they most certainly enjoy more than their grownups. . . . A delight.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Phelan's nearly wordless picture book introduces a family of bears in their forested home. . . . Phelan's illustrations in pencil, ink, and watercolor have a cozy, comfortable feel. . . . Small details in the artwork further enhance the mood: the seven cubs wreak havoc throughout the house in their day-long attempts to suit up, yet Papa remains calm and patient throughout, offering suggestions as they master this new skill. A perfect fall read-aloud, this should strike a chord with caregivers and toddlers alike.” — Booklist

From the Publisher

The autumn colors are here and Papa Bear wants to take his cadre of cubs out to enjoy the crisp weather. . . . Caretakers will ruefully recognize the helter-skelter lawlessness that marks nearly all attempts to get a group of kiddos ready to go somewhere, and youngsters too will recognize the mischievous mayhem that they most certainly enjoy more than their grownups. . . . A delight.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

‘Sweaters ON!’ the bear declares to a roomful of pajama-wearing cubs, and the story takes off. Wrangling seven small bears into sweaters is no easy feat, and the gloriously chaotic effort goes on . . . Phelan’s soft, colorful art, created with pencil, ink, and watercolor, amplifies the coziness of all the bears and their clothing. . . . The humor of the ending is just right, as is the large bear’s last directive—'Pajamas ON!’—leading to the story’s natural ending as a bedtime book. This tribute to the realities of parenting small children (and bears) revels in the humor and joy that can be found when the best-laid plans go awry.

Horn Book (starred review)

Phelan's nearly wordless picture book introduces a family of bears in their forested home. . . . Phelan's illustrations in pencil, ink, and watercolor have a cozy, comfortable feel. . . . Small details in the artwork further enhance the mood: the seven cubs wreak havoc throughout the house in their day-long attempts to suit up, yet Papa remains calm and patient throughout, offering suggestions as they master this new skill. A perfect fall read-aloud, this should strike a chord with caregivers and toddlers alike.

Booklist

Phelan's nearly wordless picture book introduces a family of bears in their forested home. . . . Phelan's illustrations in pencil, ink, and watercolor have a cozy, comfortable feel. . . . Small details in the artwork further enhance the mood: the seven cubs wreak havoc throughout the house in their day-long attempts to suit up, yet Papa remains calm and patient throughout, offering suggestions as they master this new skill. A perfect fall read-aloud, this should strike a chord with caregivers and toddlers alike.

Booklist

The autumn colors are here and Papa Bear wants to take his cadre of cubs out to enjoy the crisp weather. . . . Caretakers will ruefully recognize the helter-skelter lawlessness that marks nearly all attempts to get a group of kiddos ready to go somewhere, and youngsters too will recognize the mischievous mayhem that they most certainly enjoy more than their grownups. . . . A delight.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

★ 10/01/2021

PreS-Gr 2—In a pink bathrobe and with a cup of coffee in hand, a big bear peaks out of the window at the lovely red and orange fall foliage. It's time for the seven little bears to get their sweaters on! For these independent cubs (and one especially adorable baby bear), getting dressed is trickier than it seems. One little bear can't find the head hole, two are stuck in a single sweater, sweater arms are all tangled up, and one little bear's unraveling green sweater leaves a string of yarn dancing around the pages. With the big bear's help, all the cubs are finally wrangled and ready to venture out into the crispy air to enjoy the gathering dusk, and even a far-off shooting star. After all that preparation, it's time to go back inside and get the sweaters off for bedtime. While it might seem like a lot of effort for little payoff, at closer inspection this is a lovely story of one of life's magical moments, when a family takes time to appreciate nature and each other's companionship. Readers will want to don their own comfy sweaters and snuggle up with their loved ones. VERDICT A deceptively simple but warm and cozy celebration of autumn sweater weather.—Alyssa Annico, Youngstown State Univ., OH

School Library Journal

2021-06-29
A warm read for the fall.

Phelan’s text is remarkably spare, with just a few precise phrases to knit together a narrative about an adult bear and their seven cubs. Frontmatter shows the grown-up bear clad in a bathrobe and looking out a kitchen window. The palette is dominated by warm red, gold, and brown tones, and the bear’s brief directive to the cubs on the next page suggests an autumnal chill in the air. “Sweaters on!” the bear exclaims to the PJ-clad little ones. A basket of yarn sits off to the side, and on the next spread the big bear is seen sitting and knitting calmly while awaiting the cubs’ descent from upstairs. “Sweaters on?” calls the big bear. “Not yet,” is the reply. After hearing a clatter, the big bear goes upstairs to investigate and finds the cubs struggling to get dressed. Humorous watercolors show their little round bodies packed like sausages into a rainbow array of sweaters—including one sweater with two cubs stuffed inside. The struggle continues for several pages, with the patient grown-up bear attempting to help without much luck. Night has fallen by the time they finally go outside all bundled up, but they make the most of their time there before returning indoors for “Pajamas on!” time. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Cozy up with this picture book. (Picture book. 2-4)

Kirkus Reviews