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Summary
Summary
Cameron loves his grandmother. She knows just what makes him tick. That's why he can't figure out why Grandma would send him a sweater--a truly terribly horrible sweater--for his birthday.
Cameron pours mustard on his sweater. He puts it on his dog (in the rain). He even tries to send it to the thrift shop. But nothing works.
Now Grandma is coming for the holidays, and Cameron has to wear her gift to him. But what's he going to say when she asks what he thinks about the sweater she made
With a sure hand and a light touch, worldwide bestseller Debbie Macomber and her new writing partner, Mary Lou Carney, reveal that what Grandma knit into Cameron's sweater is the greatest gift of all.
Debbie and Mary Lou have included simple knitting instructions and an original knitting pattern for Cameron's sweater. You can find them at the back of this book.
Author Notes
Debbie Macomber was born on October 22, 1948 in Yakima, Washington. Her first novel, Heartsong, was published in 1984 and became the first romance novel ever to be reviewed in Publishers Weekly. She has written more than 150 novels including Between Friends, Family Affair, Starry Night, Last One Home, Mr. Miracle, Merry and Bright, the Blossom Street series, the Cedar Cove series, and the Rose Harbor series. She received Romantic Times Magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Instead of the anticipated video game or remote-control car, Cameron's birthday gift from his grandmother turns out to be a hand-knit sweater in a pattern of red, green, yellow, blue, and orange stripes. Vowing never to wear it, he tries many ways to get rid of the detested garment-such as hiding it in his closet or adding it to a rummage sale box-but is thwarted at every turn by his well-meaning parents. When Grandma visits at Christmas, Cameron must finally don the dreaded garment. His grandmother lovingly explains to him how each color represents a quality she admires in her grandson, and Cameron begins to appreciate that this one-of-a-kind item was made with an enormous amount of love. Indeed, he realizes he would be proud to wear it "for a very long time." Full-color, soft-edged illustrations depict characters with nearly identical, startled-looking eyes that pop and will probably be less disconcerting to children than adults. The resolution is predictable, but the story is humorously engaging and imparts a timeless lesson. Knitting instructions and a pattern for Cameron's sweater are included.-Kathleen Finn, St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, VT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Young Cameron is counting on Grandma Susan to come through with a cool gift for his birthday. Instead, he gets a hideous sweater-one that defies all the boy's attempts at eradication (including donating it to the church rummage sale and dousing it in condiments). But Cameron changes his tune when Grandma explains the significance behind each of the colors in the sweater's lovingly stitched stripes (green commemorates a winning soccer goal, yellow signifies that he is "the sunshine of all our lives"). Macomber, a bestselling romance novelist making her picture book debut, and Carney (Tyler Timothy Bradford and the Birthday Surprise) do little to freshen up a chestnut premise-the narration feels like a well-intentioned youth sermon, and Cameron's efforts to rid himself of the sweater never gain comic momentum. Nguyen's (Gorilla Garage) characters tend toward a Plasticine quality reminiscent of the humans in the Toy Story movies, but his paintings pick up a considerable amount of energy and beauty whenever the story moves beyond its domestic confines. Ages 3-7. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus Review
Macomber, a bestselling author for adults, and Carney join forces for an amusing story about a boy who receives a handmade, striped sweater as a birthday gift from his grandmother. Cameron hates the sweater with a passion due to its vibrant colors and large buttons. He tries to put his sweater on the dog, hide it, give it away and ruin it with stains, but finally he has to wear it when Grandma comes to visit. She explains that she chose each color for a specific memory of her grandson, and Cameron changes his mind and decides the sweater looks fine after all. This resulting change of heart seems awfully adult for an opinionated little boy, and his grandmother's explanation of her color choices will be a bit too sticky-sweet for many kids (and some parents). Nguyen's illustrations have a surrealistic feeling, with a dark, moody palette, shadowy backgrounds and oddly robotic eyes for the characters. Final pages include instructions for knitting and a pattern for the striped sweater. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
There's probably not a knitter alive who hasn't presented a handmade gift and wondered whether the recipient would use it or throw it in the closet. Cameron's sweater from Grandma Susan gets the closet treatment and worse. Although he loves his grandmother, her birthday present, a handmade striped sweater, is a huge disappointment. His goal is to get the sweater out of his life via the dog, a rummage sale, and smears of ketchup and mustard. His plans fail though, and he finds himself wearing the sweater when Grandma arrives for a visit. After she tells Cameron why she chose each special color, he begins to understand how much it means to both of them. While, it's pretty to think so; in real life the sweater would probably go back in the closet. This does, however, make a strong case for it's the thought that counts. Nguyen's sturdy artwork has some very nice scenes; he cleverly makes the sweater attractive albeit perfectly unacceptable. For those who want to knit the horrible sweater, a pattern is included.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2009 Booklist