“Weaving the Rainbow” written by George Ella Lyon, illustrated by Stephanie Anderson, and published by Atheneum in 2004 isn’t a new book, but I just discovered it and so wanted to share it. A beautiful children’s book retains its value, no matter when it was published. This book really connected with my fiber art inclinations--both my making Waldorf dolls with their wool hair and my occasional knitting projects.

It’s a great story written for early readers, but also a wonderful read-aloud picture book. It’s a story about a woman who raises a flock of sheep, sheers them herself, and then spins the wool and colors the yarn with natural dyes. Finally she takes her hand-dyed wool and weaves a piece showing the rainbow colors of her pastures and the white sheep grazing on the the grass.

Stephanie Anderson’s fabulous watercolor paintings really make this book sing. I especially love the pictures with the lambs and sheep. You can see some of her sheep on the book’s cover above, but there some I love even more in the story. I also really liked the paintings showing the farmer spinning and dyeing her wool.

If you have (or know) a child who knits, weaves or has Waldorf dolls, this book would be an awesome gift!