So far, Runaway Mittens by Jean Rogers is my favorite childrens' book of the five I have read for class. I definitely see myself including this book in my classroom library when I am a teacher. Most importantly to me, Runaway Mittens would be perfect in a multicultural classroom. The story is about a young boy named Pica who lives with his family in the far north. His world is much different than what students in Iowa are probably accustomed to. Pica's family goes ice fishing in the story, the pictures showing them carrying long spears and dressed in heavy winter parkas. A new culture is represented in the story and, while students may notice the differences between cultures, they may also notice the similarities.
One thing that really stuck out to me during this story was this culture's apparent value of family. Pica's grandmother knits a pair of bright red mittens for him, the nicest mittens he has ever known. Grandmother knits the mittens out of her love for her grandson, and she promises him she will make him a new pair when he is older. Pica's reverence for his mittens is a sure sign of his devotion to his grandmother. Pica and his sister, Etta, also have a close relationship. Etta helps her younger brother look for his mittens when they have run away from him. Finally, the entire family goes out ice fishing together. It is easy to infer that this is an incredibly close family unit and that this is the norm in this culture.
This is a great book for all picture book level readers. The pictures are beautifully painted in warm hues. The pages are short, so it is appropriate for very young readers. However, the story is light and fun, making it suitable for readers of many ages. The multiculturalism is present but sets up no barrier - Pica and his family are very relateable in this wonderful story.
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