The Never-Ending Sweater

All knitters know the tendency to make their sweaters “just a little bigger” in case an intended young recipient grows. The results are frequently huge and hilarious. This knitter-reviewer is guilty of adding an inch here, an inch there - which turn out to be a few inches here, a few inches there - resulting in oversized sweaters that could hold more than one person.

Not many knitters have a request for a too-big sweater. But that’s the case in The Never-Ending Sweater, a feel-good story by Erin Welch, a transplant from British Columbia to the East coast, about a young boy (Young Peter) who asks for just that:

So Peter’s grandmother knit him a very big sweater. She chose a thick purple wool and her fastest needles, and on a chilly November evening, she began to knit.

She knit and she knit and she knit.

She made sturdy cuffs that would keep out the dampest weather, and a long body that would survive the most exciting of adventures.

Young Peter takes his oversize pullover on his journey through life, around the world and home again. No matter how far away he is, he has something from home, a link with his grandmother, a person key to his life.

When he returns after many years, he takes another child (Little P.) under his wing, encouraging his explorations and discoveries. Finally, as the elderly man, Peter gifts Little P. with the sweater so he will also have a touchstone as he travels through life.

The idea is charming, but there are a few weaknesses in the text that reduce the effectiveness of the message. For example: Peter travels the world, engaging with different kinds of people and having interesting experiences. He learns to shear sheep in New Zealand, but the two other pages about his travels don’t list the country. One is described only as “another country,” the other as a place with yak herders. Young readers would learn something about the cultures and customs of those the countries if they were identified.

Most disappointing, however, is that the only mention of the grandmother’s death comes when Little P. laments his own grandmother’s absence, and Peter thinks, “Me too.” It’s not enough to dig deep into Peter’s soul, nor is Little P.’s character developed enough to make his statement emotionally impactful for young readers.

Dorothy Leung’s warm water colour renderings of the East Coast evoke the homey atmosphere of the maritime village. The muted yellows and browns add a tinge of nostalgia to the narrative. Peter’s grandmother is a contented, busy woman, satisfied with her purple creation. Peter and Little P. look very much at ease together as they plant seedlings and fish together. She ages Peter well (although his hair never turns grey) as he reflects on his life and prepares to hand over his valued treasure, the sweater.

The Never-Ending Sweater is a story with possibilities, one that needs a little more oomph to make it truly memorable for the young children for whom it is written.