The Hueys in the New Sweater (review)

The Hueys—white oval figures with stick appendages and minimal facial features— all "looked the same, thought the same . . . and did the same things." Rupert Huey, however, decides one day to knit himself "a nice new sweater" in a vibrant shade of tangerine, causing much consternation among the Hueys until Rupert convinces Gillespie to knit a matching sweater ("That way, he would be different too!"). Soon everyone's clad in an orange sweater—and then Rupert decides to don a hat. Readers familiar with Willems' Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed (BCCB 2/09) will find this covers similar ground; while Willems' take is the more amusing of the two, Jeffers' tale is more focused and ironic. The Hueys' amusing categorization of wearing a sweater as "different," even when they're all wearing the same sweater ("Before long, they were all different, and no one was the same anymore") contrasts humorously with the illustration in a clever disconnect that will prompt young audiences to discuss whether or not the Hueys are actually "all different." The Hueys are a visually endearing bunch (made, according to a note, "with pencils and a bit of orange"), depicted as mere pencil outlines when they're against white backgrounds and white figures when against pastel backgrounds (though when they gain individuality by selecting their own hats at the end, they transform into peachy pink figures sporting clothing of various styles and colors). The minimalist appearance of the Hueys will make them easy for kids to imitate artistically, and those who can't wait for the Hueys' next outing (jacket copy indicates this is the beginning of a series) may want to create their own Huey-themed adventures.