LESTER'S DREADFUL SWEATERS by K.G. Campbell

Lester's Dreadful Sweaters, written and illustrated by K.G.Campbell is a Bluebonnet books for 2014-2015.  

Cousin Clara's cottage has been consumed by a crocodile!  And while no one is sure whose cousin she actually is, Cousin Clara comes to live with Lester's family.  Cousin Clara is a whiz with knitting, so she knits Lester dreadful sweaters.  Lester creatively gets rid of each sweater, but Cousin Clara knits faster than he can get rid of them.  Each sweater is more ghastly than the one before.  Will Lester be doomed forever to be made fun of at school and wear these dreadful creations? 

Campbell, K.G. Lester's Dreadful Sweaters. New York:
Kids Can Press Ltd., 2012.  ISBN 9781554537709

Author and illustrator, K.G. Campbell, has created a wonderful book that will appeal to anyone that has received an unwanted gift.   His character, Lester, expresses good manners and gracefully accepts each present, but creatively finds ways to dispose of his unwanted gift.  This character will appeal to many children, who have received a ghastly gift from an elder family member.  He takes an annoyance of childhood and turns it into a ridiculous situation.  Children and adults will love the humor in the book.

The illustrations, done in pencil crayon, add humor to this wonderfully written picture book.  Campbell illustrates the ridiculously, ghastly sweaters while poor Lester wears them.  Campbell does an amazing job of adding detail in his illustrations that add to the detail of the written story.  

Awards for Lester's Dreadful Sweaters

Picture Book Illustration Winner, 2013 Golden Kite Awards

Book Reviews for Lester's Dreadful Sweaters

"Lively writing is peppered with clever alliteration and wordplay." ~ Kirkus Reviews

"...readers will thoroughly enjoy Campbell's canny blend of irony and sweet-heartedness." ~ Publisher's Weekly

Lester's Dreadful Sweaters in the Classroom

• Click here for a reader's theatre script for Lester's Dreadful Sweaters. 
• Use this book to begin a unit of alligators and crocodiles.  This lesson will be a good start on comparing the alligator with the crocodile. 
• In the book Lester likes to make lists and collect things.  Use this as an introduction to making lists.  Or invite students to bring in a collection they have for show-and-tell.