Noah's Mittens    by Lise Lunge-Larsen & Matthew Trueman Order:  USA  Can Houghton Mifflin, 2006 (2006) Hardcover     Reviewed by Hilary Daninhirsch Against the backdrop of one of the most treasured biblical stories of all time, that of Noah's Ark, this interesting children's book tells the story of how felt was invented. When the book opens, Noah is in the process of building an ark, and is busy gathering pairs of animals that will go on the ark with Noah and his family. Noah is portrayed as a smart man who asks the right questions in order to further his understanding of events. Once the rains come, Noah is shown taking care of the animals, many of whom became seasick. Because Noah made the ark waterproof, he sealed it to the point that it got extremely hot; the sheep became so unbearably miserable that they were close to suffocating. Noah finds a way to help the sheep cool down. Eventually, after the rains stop, Noah faces snowy weather. When he asks God about it, God assures him he will have an idea as to what to do next. Inspired, Noah eventually uses the sheep's coats to invent felt, which helps keep everyone warm. Additional information about felt and how it is made is provided in an endnote. In addition to a lesson in how felt is made, Noah's Mittens highlights Noah's resourcefulness, his trust in himself and in God, and how you should never be afraid to ask questions. The accompanying pictures showcase the illustrator's obvious talents. Using lush, bold colors, the artist creates a collage-like effect. The naked sheep are pretty amusing, as are the animals' expressive faces. Swirling designs and the changing sun in different scenes add to the appeal. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews