TheTrulyTerriblyHorribleSweater...

Created by Anne Hubbell

=//The Truly Terribly Horrible Sweater...That Grandma Knit//= by Debbie Macomber & Mary Lou Carney

Macomber, D., & Carney, M.L. (2009). The truly terribly horrible sweater...that grandma knit. New York: Harper Collins.

Image from Goodreads. Retrieved from []

Summary:
It was Cameron's birthday and his Grandma sent him a present in the mail. Cameron was excited because his Grandma Susan always sent the best gifts. This year, however, when he opened it, he couldn't believe it. She had sent him a sweater!! He didn't want a sweater!! Cameron tried everything he could think of to get rid of that sweater, but nothing worked. When his Grandma Susan came for a visit he would have to wear that terrible sweater. Things changed for Cameron though when his Grandma told him why she had knitted him this special sweater. Cameron realized how much his grandma loved him and that the sweater didn't look so horrible anymore. In fact, he was proud to wear the sweater that his Grandma Susan knit for him.

Online Links:
About the Authors: [|Debbie Macomber] [| Mary Lou Carney]

The Truly Terribly Horrible Sweater...That Grandma Knit [|On YouTube]

Lesson Ideas [|The Reading Tub] [|Tadpole Tales, Parent Friendly Book Reviews]

Discussion Questions:
1. Cameron was very excited to see the present from his Grandma Susan but then he was disappointed that it was a sweater. Have you have been disappointed with a gift? How did you react?

2. Cameron tried to lose his sweater, give it away, and even ruin it so he wouldn't have to wear it. What would you have done? What do you think he should have done?

3. At the end of the story, Cameron is really proud to wear his sweater. What do you think made him change his mind?

Classroom Activity:
Let the students design a gift to give someone else. Ideas could be to knit a scarf, build an object out of colored clay, or create a drawing of something. (Gift ideas would vary based on students' ages) Ask students to think of the important colors that would represent the person they are giving the gift to. Ask students to think of their special person, what they would like, and the colors they will use. Have students share their project ideas with a partner or small group. Work on the projects and then let the students wrap the gifts they are going to give. As a follow-up, ask students to write about this project. How did it feel to make something special for someone? How did their special person react? How would they react if someone did this for them?