The Mitten String

An original Jewish folktale about a girl who knits, a deaf woman, and a piece of blue yarn.

        When her family invites a deaf woman and her baby to stay, Ruthie, a talented knitter of mittens, wonders how the mother will know if her child wakes in the night. The surprising answer inspires Ruthie to knit a special gift that offers great comfort to mother and baby—and to Ruthie herself.
        With language and imagery reminiscent of stories told long ago, this modern Jewish folktale will resonate with those who love crafts, anyone who’s encountered someone with physical differences—and with everyone who has ever lost a mitten in the depths of winter.

JENNIFER ROSNER is the author of an adult memoir, If a Tree Falls, her story of raising two deaf daughters in a talking family and a hearing world. The Mitten String was inspired by the story of a deaf ancestor whom she discovered in the course of researching her family tree. She has written for The New York Times, Good Housekeeping, The Jewish Daily Forward, and other publications.

Jennifer lives in Western Massachusetts with her family. Visit her at
jennifer-rosner.com.

KRISTINA SWARNER is an award-winning illustrator of more than a dozen books, among them Gathering Sparks and The Bedtime Sh’ma, both of which won Sydney Taylor Book Awards.

Kristina lives in Chicago. Visit her at kristinaswarner.com.