Lizette is delighted with a green sock she discovers on the ground. But Tim and Tom, mean-spirited brothers, burst her bubble by declaring that a single sock is no good, because socks come in pairs. She searches, but the other sock is nowhere to be found. The young chicken feels disheartened, until her friend Bert the mouse points out the great potential the green sock has as a cap. Things are looking up when Tim and Tom re-enter, having found the second sock. They lead Lizette and Bert in a chase, only to lose the second sock in the pond, but all is rosy again when Mother comes through with the green sock she has knit to complete the pair. Happily, Lizette and Bert each wear their new sock caps, and in a charming final twist, the third green sock is shown functioning as a “splendid sleeping bag” for a fish. (Ages 3–6)

Winsome Lizette, a bird in a polka-dot dress and blue kerchief, finds a green sock when out for a walk one day. She is teased by Tim and Tom, two bullying cats, who tell her that socks “come in pairs” (7). When her mouse friend Bert sees the now-clean sock, he wants to wear it as a cap. Tim and Tom find the matching sock but deliberately throw it in a pond. In the end, a fish has a “splendid sleeping bag” (33). Splashes of color inside brown out lines add interest to this delightful tale about Lizette and Bert’s creativity, individuality, and friendship. 2006 USBBY-CBC Outstanding International Books List, 2005 Booklist Editors’ Choice, 2005 Child Magazine Best Books of the Year, 2005 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2006 Kansas State Reading Circle Recommendation, 2006 CCBC Choices, 2006 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year. hc, mjw

Originally published as Chausette verte de Lisette in French by l’Êcole des Loisirs France, in 2002.