Scholastic Press | 978-1338740271

Put the word “underpants” in a picture book and you’re guaranteed laughs – lots of laughs. Put the word in the title and it’s as good as finding the golden ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 🙂

Tammi Sauer is a master picture book author with over thirty books to her name. THE UNDERPANTS, adorably and hilariously illustrated by Joren Cull, is her latest – a retelling of the Ukranian folktale about a lost mitten – but with an important twist. Instead of a mitten discovered in the snow, THE UNDERPANTS begins with an unexpected discovery on the top of a fresh pile of Farmer’s laundry:

“Ah!” said Kitty. “I love this cozy coat.”

CLICK TO ENLARGE © Text by Tammi Sauer, illustration by Joren Cull

The coat fits perfectly and off Kitty saunters for a trip around the barnyard. As you might imagine, other animals, each in turn, spy Kitty sporting the “coat.”

“Kitty,” said Dog, “what are you doing in those underpants?
Kitty looked as proud as a kitty could.
“It’s a coat,” said Kitty.
“Oh,” said Dog.
“Is there room enough for me”
And there was. Barely. “

CLICK TO ENLARGE © Text by Tammi Sauer, illustration by Joren Cull

As one animal, then another spies Kitty and her friends wearing the underwear/coat, things begin to get extra cozy, until…

Well, you can imagine what happens when too many animals try to squeeze inside the underwear. Ah-AH-MOO-CHOOOOO!  All six friends tumble into the air and out! What a day they had!

And Kitty? She still loves her cozy coat – even the now very-very-very stretched out version of it!

It’s difficult to imagine a more perfect update of Alvin Tresselt or Jan Brett’s The Mitten than this one. And while it’s hardly fair to compare The Underpants to The Mitten, in case you want to, here are the links to both!

THE MITTEN by Jan Brett

THE MITTEN by Alvin Tresselt, illustrated by Yaroslova