Fix and Stitch

Nass, Barbara and Woodrugg, Liza (illus.) Fix and Stitch
August 15, 2023 by Sleeping Bear Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Squirrel runs a tailoring shop, but as winter approaches, he needs to close up and build his nest. As he attempts to do this, his friend Fox appears with a ripped coat, begging him to fix it, saying he will help Squirrel build his nest. Before he knows it, he is involved in projects to enable Porcupine to be hugged, Skunk to contain his odor in a flowered romper, and Rabbit to carry her many babies in a Payne and Rey's Katy No-Pocket style jumper. As the snow starts to fall, he finally makes his way into the forest to gather his materials and build shelter for the winter, and to his surprise, is greeted by his customers, who are assembled to help him with his project. 

This had the classic feel of Aesop's The Grasshopper and the Ant fable, but an author's note at the end puts a self-care spin on it. Yes, Squirrel is prepared and his friends are not, but should he have said no to their requests or asked them for help before selflessly doing their bidding? I think the better question is why the friends felt the need to wait until the last minute for some of their projects. 

The illustrations also have a soft, crayon or chalk pastel feel to them, with the forest background filled with many details that point toward late fall and winter. The animals are adorable and filled with personality; Fox is especially fun, with his beautiful coat. 

Books about helping others were always in frequent rotation in my household, and my daughters are both steadfast in their determination to take grocery carts abandoned in store parking lots back to the store as a result. While my favorite was always the salty attitude of The Little Red Hen, Fix and Stitch is a gentler tale for fans of books that show good deeds, like Papp's Madeline Finn and the Library Dog, Rocco's Blizzard or Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson.