An old woman with a big family brings new meaning to the concept of single-mindedness in a story that travels from everyday domestic life to outer space and back again. When her host of grandchildren wreak havoc with the yarn she needs to knit them sweaters, the woman tidies the house, drinks tea from her samovar, packs up her supplies, and heads out the front gate with a cry. “Leave Me Alone!” Stopping in the forest to knit, a bear family comes too close for comfort. “Leave Me Alone!” She sets out up the mountainside and finds a place to work. This time it’s mountain goats that intrude on her work. Again the angry cry, and she heads up to the top of mountain, then straight on to the moon. Solitude eludes her there as well, when a pack of little green aliens arrives. “Leave Me Alone!” It’s only inside a Black Hole in space that she finds absolutely peace and quiet. Spare white-lined illustrations on stark black pages show the industrious knitter finishing 30 sweaters. Job done, this no-nonsense worker heads home, and is mobbed by happy grandchildren to whom she distributes winter wear. “And she didn’t say a word.” Clever page design, silly yet sophisticated humor, playful language, and a satisfying, smile-inducing conclusion make for a winning picture book. (Ages 3–7)

Already love Vera’s work? Don’t miss her first novel Return to Sender!

A Caldecott Honor Book that The New York Times calls “both classic and ultracontemporary,” Leave Me Alone! is an epic tale about one grandmother, a giant sack of yarn, and her ultimate quest to finish her knitting.

One day, a grandmother shouts, "LEAVE ME ALONE!" and leaves her tiny home and her very big family to journey to the moon and beyond to find peace and quiet to finish her knitting. Along the way, she encounters ravenous bears, obnoxious goats, and even hordes of aliens! But nothing stops grandma from accomplishing her goal—knitting sweaters for her many grandchildren to keep them warm and toasty for the coming winter.

Vera Brosgol's slyly clever and unexpectedly funny modern folktale is certain to warm even the coldest of hearts.

A Caldecott Honor Book
A New York Times Notable Children's Book
A National Public Radio Best Book
A Horn Book Best Book
A Huffington Post Best Picture Book