Leave Me Alone!

Starred review from June 20, 2016
Graphic novelist Brosgol’s (Anya’s Ghost) first picture book opens in a traditional folk tale setting as a Russian grandmother in a tiny cottage struggles to finish her winter knitting. She has dozens of grandchildren, and they swarm all over her yarn: “Her grandchildren were very curious about her knitting.... Could you eat it? Could you make your brother eat it?” Brosgol’s cartooning delivers laughs throughout; here, a girl in a kerchief stuffs a ball of yarn into a baby’s mouth as three boys chase another ball with sticks. Fed up, the old woman takes off (after cleaning the house thoroughly, of course), bellowing, “Leave me alone!” The cry is repeated in the forest, in the mountains, and even on the moon, where aliens inspect her “with handheld scanners that went ‘beep boop.’ ” She finds peace at last in the black void on the other side of a wormhole, where she finishes her knitting. The fizzy collision of old-fashioned fairy tale elements with space-age physics is delightful, and even the most extroverted readers will recognize that sometimes you just need a little space. Ages 4–7. Agent: Judith Hansen, Hansen Literary.

June 15, 2016
Knitters will find their niches and click their needles--wherever.An old woman is sitting on her rocking chair with many balls of yarn at her feet. Cold weather is approaching, and sweaters must be knit for her many children and grandchildren. Unfortunately, those young ones are enchanted with those balls of yarn as playthings. They skip rope, play ball, and leave the old woman quite exasperated. She cleans house, packs her bags, and leaves her small Russian village shouting "Leave me alone!" Alas, she discovers that the woods are not the ideal spot for knitting, and neither are the mountains or even the moon. Finally, she discovers the perfect place for her knits and purls, finally returning home and happily outfitting the many little ones. A crowded house, bears in the forest, goats on the mountain, and little green ETs on the moon all lead to an unexpectedly scientific--or perhaps science-fiction--conclusion. Brosgol's folkloric tale is full of humor and repetition, making it a good choice to read aloud. Her colorfully animated figures, all white except for those ETs on the moon, stand out against the white pages. This contrasts well with her eventual place of seclusion (spoiler alert: a wormhole), where the figures are outlined in white against a black background. Understatedly funny, just like the Eastern European folk tales on whose shoulders it stands. (Picture book. 3-6)

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Starred review from September 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-Brosgol incorporates folktale elements in her amusing story of an old woman in search of a quiet place to knit. Fleeing her too small house overrun with too many energetic grandchildren, she packs her needles and yarn and heads for the mountains. Unfortunately, she can't find an undisturbed spot. Hungry bears, curious mountain goats, and little green moon-men provoke her to shout: "Leave me alone!" Climbing through a wormhole, she discovers a dark and quiet place to complete 30 little sweaters. Then she crawls through a wormhole that leads to her house, where 30 grandchildren rush to meet her. Peasant clothing, wooden houses, and village scenes create a setting reminiscent of the Brothers Grimm or of Fiddler on the Roof. The humorous illustrations depict the determined woman knitting in improbable circumstances as she climbs ever higher. A huge bear looms above her, curious "about what she might taste like." Mountain goats frolic with balls of yarn they consider tasty snacks. Green creatures investigate the woman with handheld scanners while she sits on a chair-shaped moon rock. Brosgol is a master of facial expressions, using eyes, mouth, and forehead lines to indicate the old woman's thoughts and emotions. VERDICT This offbeat tale will please readers who appreciate subtle humor, especially those who crave some time alone. A good choice for collections needing to bolster their supply of humorous titles.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University Library, Mankato

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