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I Had a Favorite Dress: A Picture Book
Open up a fresh and stylish story about growing up and keeping hold of your favorite memories.
As the year passes, the narrator’s favorite dress goes through a series of creative changes, from dress to shirt to tank top to scarf and so on, until all that’s left of it is a good memory. Assisted by her patient and crafty mama, the narrator finds that when disaster strikes her favorite things, she doesn’t need to make mountains out of molehills—she “makes molehills out of mountains” instead!
Structured around the days of the week, the story is also illustrated to show the passing of the seasons, a perfect complement to the themes of growing older and keeping hold (and letting go) of special mementos.
As the year passes, the narrator’s favorite dress goes through a series of creative changes, from dress to shirt to tank top to scarf and so on, until all that’s left of it is a good memory. Assisted by her patient and crafty mama, the narrator finds that when disaster strikes her favorite things, she doesn’t need to make mountains out of molehills—she “makes molehills out of mountains” instead!
Structured around the days of the week, the story is also illustrated to show the passing of the seasons, a perfect complement to the themes of growing older and keeping hold (and letting go) of special mementos.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2011
86 people are currently reading
704 people want to read
About the author
Boni Ashburn
11 books74 followersBoni Ashburn is the author of eight picture books, including Hush, Little Dragon and I Had A Favorite Dress. Boni lives in the Upper Peninsula Of Michigan with her four children and manages a school-public library.
*Please note: I give 5 stars to books I adore and MUST own, 4 stars to books that will stay with me in some way and that I almost-adore, and 3 stars to books I like. Two stars might be books that I like in some way, but most likely have some particular aspect that I don't think was executed as well as it could have been. One star means I truly do not care for the book- sorry. And no stars? Means I can't decide how I feel about the book and therefore I don't feel qualified to rate it. In any event, I hope no book takes its rating personally :)
Also, I prefer to use goodreads for its intended purpose- to give and find great book recommendations for the types of books I read. If I don't friend you back, it's probably because we don't read a lot of the same genre. For general network-type friending, please look for me on twitter or facebook- thanks!
*Please note: I give 5 stars to books I adore and MUST own, 4 stars to books that will stay with me in some way and that I almost-adore, and 3 stars to books I like. Two stars might be books that I like in some way, but most likely have some particular aspect that I don't think was executed as well as it could have been. One star means I truly do not care for the book- sorry. And no stars? Means I can't decide how I feel about the book and therefore I don't feel qualified to rate it. In any event, I hope no book takes its rating personally :)
Also, I prefer to use goodreads for its intended purpose- to give and find great book recommendations for the types of books I read. If I don't friend you back, it's probably because we don't read a lot of the same genre. For general network-type friending, please look for me on twitter or facebook- thanks!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
November 17, 2018
Boni Ashburn's sweet little romp (poetic, descriptive and just plain fun) depicts a little girl's favourite dress being repeatedly reused and recycled into various other (and then) favourite articles of clothing (from a shirt to finally a hair bow, and when that hair bow falls prey to a puppy's sharp little teeth, the bits of remaining fabric are rescued and incorporated into a picture). While not actually presenting and describing the skills required to sew, to turn the favourite dress, the favourite shirt, the favourite tank top etc. into other articles of clothing (and in fact, the "snip, snip, sew, sew" mantra does make the entire process appear rather quick and easy, which it is not, especially for those of us who are rather untalented with regard to sewing and similar types of skills), I Had a Favorite Dress still does clearly demonstrate how reusing and recycling one's too short or too old clothes can lead to extended use, fun and a sense of pride of craftsmanship (for while the girl's mother might be the one sewing the "new" clothes, it is her daughter who proudly wears them, and declares each of them her new favourite garment, to be worn on her always new favourite day of the week).
And Julia Denos' bright and bouncy illustrations indeed are the perfect compliment to Boni Ashburn's narrative, exhibiting a wonderful sense movement, as well as the joy and happiness the little girl receives with each of her new "old" clothes. While by themselves, I would not necessarily consider the illustrations personal favourites, they absolutely and perfectly suit Boni Ashborn's lively and fun text (and yes, I do actually consider the hair bow, the final "snip, snip, sew, sew" sequence, an article of clothing, although some might argue that it is an accessory instead). Four stars for I Had a Favourite Dress (and while not anything earth-shattering, a fun and poetic interlude, especially for young girls with an interest in clothing, sewing and recycling).
And Julia Denos' bright and bouncy illustrations indeed are the perfect compliment to Boni Ashburn's narrative, exhibiting a wonderful sense movement, as well as the joy and happiness the little girl receives with each of her new "old" clothes. While by themselves, I would not necessarily consider the illustrations personal favourites, they absolutely and perfectly suit Boni Ashborn's lively and fun text (and yes, I do actually consider the hair bow, the final "snip, snip, sew, sew" sequence, an article of clothing, although some might argue that it is an accessory instead). Four stars for I Had a Favourite Dress (and while not anything earth-shattering, a fun and poetic interlude, especially for young girls with an interest in clothing, sewing and recycling).
March 19, 2016
Thoroughly enjoyable! I loved the mama's creativity -- it was so much fun seeing what she would come up with next! -- and I loved that the little girl finds the perfect solution at the very end with her own style of creativity. The illustrations are charming and expressive and the poetic language is great for read-aloud. A wonderful book about sewing, repurposing, and using creativity to bring a smile when a situation has you frowning! ;-)
August 4, 2011
I loved reading this with my 7 year old. Her comment: "It's really creative!" She was full of smiles as she realized the pattern in the story and started predicting what the little girl would make next out of her favorite dress. And then toward the end, she loved how she couldn't quite predict what she'd make next. After we read it, she wanted to go back and count all the things the little girl made out of her original dress. I also think my daughter could relate to the little girl feeling sad about growing out of clothes - growing up isn't all easy, as kids definitely know.
I appreciated the rhythm and internal rhyming (not a story-in-rhyme, but great word choice for a read aloud). The repetition really leads to kids being able to predict what will happen next. The story structure around the days of the week is also perfect for preschoolers and kindergartners who are mastering that progression of time. The illustrations are delightful and will appeal to all sorts of kids, although likely mainly girls. I smiled inwardly with the way that Julia Denos drew the young girl and her mother with medium-toned skin - not clearly one race, but perhaps Latina or African American.
I appreciated the rhythm and internal rhyming (not a story-in-rhyme, but great word choice for a read aloud). The repetition really leads to kids being able to predict what will happen next. The story structure around the days of the week is also perfect for preschoolers and kindergartners who are mastering that progression of time. The illustrations are delightful and will appeal to all sorts of kids, although likely mainly girls. I smiled inwardly with the way that Julia Denos drew the young girl and her mother with medium-toned skin - not clearly one race, but perhaps Latina or African American.
January 10, 2018
As a girl grows up, and outgrows her favorite dress, her mother manages to create a new item of apparel using an ever-shrinking part of the outfit. Clever ideas, and a great suggestions for repurposing clothing. A wonderful story, with fantastic illustrations.
April 24, 2024
Fashion is one of the least sustainably sensitive businesses there is, and we the consumer are huge contributers to that failure. When clothes don't fit or are damaged, we toss them out rather than repurpose them or even, for most people, recycle them through donation. This charming lovely children's book teaches children how an item of clothing can get new life again and again. I just love this little book. It pulls attention away from something being 'old', shifting focus on 'favorite' and 'loved' and how that can lead to a 'new garment, from the old. It also, for those children wearing the hand-me-downs of older siblings (very common when I was growing up), it shows how small changes can make it uniquely your own. I love the art work illustrating this; it suits DIY and handmade.
February 2, 2019
Distraught when her favorite dress, always worn on her favorite day (Tuesday) becomes too small to wear, the young heroine of this charming picture-book turns to her mother, and "Snip, Snip, Sew, Sew... New shirt, Hello!" This new garment soon becomes the young girl's favorite piece of clothing, always worn on her (new) favorite day, Wednesday. As time goes on, the erstwhile dress becomes smaller and smaller, transformed into a tank top, a skirt, a scarf, and a hair-bow. When even this is destroyed, a final use is made of the remnants of the beloved garment, enabling the girl to hold on to her memories...
I'm grateful to my friend Gundula for reviewing this sweet book, as I had initially passed it by, thinking it to be a fairly standard 'dressing up' story. There's nothing wrong with dressing-up stories, of course, when done right - children learn through imitation, after all, and many young people experiment by dressing up in their parents' clothing, or by wearing costumes of various kinds - but I somehow wasn't attracted to it. I'm glad that I read a review putting me right, however, as I Had a Favorite Dress turned out to be a charming tale of a girl and her mother, and their creative use of sewing to repurpose a beloved article of clothing, rather than just throwing it away. I appreciated both the frugality and artistry involved in the process being depicted in the story, and thought the accompanying artwork, done in watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, needle and thread, and digital collage, perfectly captured the sense of fun throughout. I also appreciated the fact that mother and daughter are African-American, but that this is not commented upon at all in text or artwork, as I think we need more lighthearted books featuring diverse characters. Recommended to anyone looking for fun and creative mother-daughter tales, or stories incorporating sewing-craft and clothing issues.
I'm grateful to my friend Gundula for reviewing this sweet book, as I had initially passed it by, thinking it to be a fairly standard 'dressing up' story. There's nothing wrong with dressing-up stories, of course, when done right - children learn through imitation, after all, and many young people experiment by dressing up in their parents' clothing, or by wearing costumes of various kinds - but I somehow wasn't attracted to it. I'm glad that I read a review putting me right, however, as I Had a Favorite Dress turned out to be a charming tale of a girl and her mother, and their creative use of sewing to repurpose a beloved article of clothing, rather than just throwing it away. I appreciated both the frugality and artistry involved in the process being depicted in the story, and thought the accompanying artwork, done in watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, needle and thread, and digital collage, perfectly captured the sense of fun throughout. I also appreciated the fact that mother and daughter are African-American, but that this is not commented upon at all in text or artwork, as I think we need more lighthearted books featuring diverse characters. Recommended to anyone looking for fun and creative mother-daughter tales, or stories incorporating sewing-craft and clothing issues.
August 11, 2016
This is another library book that I poached from my mom's stack (the last one being
Journey
, which was absolutely wonderful). My mom must have great taste in children's picture books, because this one was wonderful, too.
The message about not making mountains out of molehills and learning to adapt and let go when it comes to change is a good one, and it's nice to see it in a picture book for young children. Unlike Maybe: A Little Zen for Little Ones , which I reviewed recently, the message in I Had a Favorite Dress doesn't hit the reader over the head; it's far more subtle and, as a result, works much better (especially for the target age group). I liked seeing what creative idea the girl's mother would come up with to transform the remnants of the original dress into something new to be worn and treasured.
The illustrations were really fun. They were colourful and cute, and employed a variety of media (everything from watercolour and actual stitching to Photoshop) to achieve the look. I also found it refreshing that the little girl was a person of colour; I haven't read that many picture books where that's been the case.
I think I would have really liked this book when I was a kid... though I might have driven my mom crazy by begging her to turn my old pieces of clothing into funky new accessories!
Quotable moment:
http://theladybugreads.blogspot.com/2...
The message about not making mountains out of molehills and learning to adapt and let go when it comes to change is a good one, and it's nice to see it in a picture book for young children. Unlike Maybe: A Little Zen for Little Ones , which I reviewed recently, the message in I Had a Favorite Dress doesn't hit the reader over the head; it's far more subtle and, as a result, works much better (especially for the target age group). I liked seeing what creative idea the girl's mother would come up with to transform the remnants of the original dress into something new to be worn and treasured.
The illustrations were really fun. They were colourful and cute, and employed a variety of media (everything from watercolour and actual stitching to Photoshop) to achieve the look. I also found it refreshing that the little girl was a person of colour; I haven't read that many picture books where that's been the case.
I think I would have really liked this book when I was a kid... though I might have driven my mom crazy by begging her to turn my old pieces of clothing into funky new accessories!
Quotable moment:
So I asked my mama, "Mama, dear..."
And snip, snip,
sew, sew...
New shirt, hello!
http://theladybugreads.blogspot.com/2...
April 6, 2017
A lovely and cute children's picture book (with fun, wispy illustrations) about a sentimental girl who accepts change gracefully.
July 18, 2016
This is a wonderful tale that documents just how fast our little ones are growing up. Literally.
I can't tell you how many times I've said to my youngest that her pants are now too short for her. Her normal reply is that she doesn't care, but I end up sneaking them into the donation pile as soon as they are washed. Otherwise, she'll just keep wearing them and say that they are 'capris.'
So this was perfect timing for us, seeing how growing out of clothes is normal and that you can repurpose them (or my personal favorite, donate them to someone else.)
The narrative is entertaining, rhythmic, and repetitive and the colorful mixed media illustrations complemented the story nicely. We really enjoyed reading this book together.
This book was selected as one of the books for the March 2016- Crafts discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
I can't tell you how many times I've said to my youngest that her pants are now too short for her. Her normal reply is that she doesn't care, but I end up sneaking them into the donation pile as soon as they are washed. Otherwise, she'll just keep wearing them and say that they are 'capris.'
So this was perfect timing for us, seeing how growing out of clothes is normal and that you can repurpose them (or my personal favorite, donate them to someone else.)
The narrative is entertaining, rhythmic, and repetitive and the colorful mixed media illustrations complemented the story nicely. We really enjoyed reading this book together.
This book was selected as one of the books for the March 2016- Crafts discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
August 16, 2011
When a young girl's dress gets too short, voila!, it is made into a shirt. And when that shirt's sleeves get too short, voila!, a tank top ... and so the story goes until nothing remains of the dress. A excellent story showing how one things can be used many times and you shouldn't freak out about things, but figure out a solution.
December 30, 2011
My daughter likes to hold on to her clothes. This story showed a creative and fun way to re-purpose a favourite garment without the trauma of giving it away. Lovely illustrations too!
June 24, 2016
This was so cute and funny. I'd definitely recommend it .
January 17, 2018
Loved it
I read this with my two year old daughter. She kept saying, "I love it Mommy". We will be buying this book in print and finding others by this author. I personally love the illustration as well.
I read this with my two year old daughter. She kept saying, "I love it Mommy". We will be buying this book in print and finding others by this author. I personally love the illustration as well.
March 17, 2021
This is a great book! Evie is reluctant to give away clothes that no longer fit. This story shows how it’s natural to outgrow clothes and creative ways to use the favorite clothes over and over again.
May 9, 2018
Much like Simms Taback's "Joseph Had a Little Overcoat" or "Something From Nothing" by Phoebe Gilman or "My Grandfather's Coat" by Jim Aylesworth, this is a story of a dress that is transformed eight times.
Beginning as a favorite dress, which is worn every TUESDAY until it is too small, to creatively transforming to a ruffly shirt to wear on WEDNESDAYS, , to becoming a tank top to be worn through the summer on THURSDAYS and then a skirt to wear to school of FRIDAYS with help from mom, a pair of shears, and a needle and thread. You might think this is the end, but there's more. It becomes a winter scarf to wear on SATURDAYS, and then fancy socks for SUNDAYS, and finally a hair clip to wear on MONDAYS. If you think THIS is the end, you're wrong. In the end it becomes part of a stitched wall hanging to enjoy every day.
Loved the story, presented in delightful rhyme. Loved the collage illustrations, made with a combination of watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, needle and thread, and Photoshop. Loved the continuity provided by a march through the days of the week and seasons of a year. Loved incorporating a proverb, "making mountains out of molehils" and turning it around with creative solutions which turned those mountains into molehills. Loved the repeated "SNIP, SNIP, sew, sew, new (fill in the blank), HELLO! which accompanies each transformation.
Yep, this is a keeper.
Beginning as a favorite dress, which is worn every TUESDAY until it is too small, to creatively transforming to a ruffly shirt to wear on WEDNESDAYS, , to becoming a tank top to be worn through the summer on THURSDAYS and then a skirt to wear to school of FRIDAYS with help from mom, a pair of shears, and a needle and thread. You might think this is the end, but there's more. It becomes a winter scarf to wear on SATURDAYS, and then fancy socks for SUNDAYS, and finally a hair clip to wear on MONDAYS. If you think THIS is the end, you're wrong. In the end it becomes part of a stitched wall hanging to enjoy every day.
Loved the story, presented in delightful rhyme. Loved the collage illustrations, made with a combination of watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, needle and thread, and Photoshop. Loved the continuity provided by a march through the days of the week and seasons of a year. Loved incorporating a proverb, "making mountains out of molehils" and turning it around with creative solutions which turned those mountains into molehills. Loved the repeated "SNIP, SNIP, sew, sew, new (fill in the blank), HELLO! which accompanies each transformation.
Yep, this is a keeper.
November 23, 2011
A girl loves her favorite dress, but it is now too small for her. Her clever mother shapes it into new things the girl can wear. As the girl grows, the dress is transformed into a shirt, then a tank top, then a scarf, then socks, until it finally becomes a beautiful hair bow.
A nice story about using creativity to solve a problem.
“I had a favorite dress that was my favoritest dress ever. I wore it every Tuesday because that was my favorite day of the week.
But one Tuesday, I put on my favorite dress…and it was too short! Mama said so. Uh-oh!
I couldn’t bear the tought of not wearing my favoritest dress. So I moaned and groaned, I complained, distraught…
‘You’re overwrought, dear; it’s clear,’ Mama said. ‘Don’t make mountains out of molehills. Make molehills out of mountains.’”
A nice story about using creativity to solve a problem.
“I had a favorite dress that was my favoritest dress ever. I wore it every Tuesday because that was my favorite day of the week.
But one Tuesday, I put on my favorite dress…and it was too short! Mama said so. Uh-oh!
I couldn’t bear the tought of not wearing my favoritest dress. So I moaned and groaned, I complained, distraught…
‘You’re overwrought, dear; it’s clear,’ Mama said. ‘Don’t make mountains out of molehills. Make molehills out of mountains.’”
December 21, 2011
The narrator in this picture book has a dress that she simply loves to wear, but when it becomes too small for her, her mother fashions it into a ruffly new shirt, then a tank top, a skirt, a scarf, socks, and a hair bow. At first I expected her mother to buy her something new, but I was delighted that mother and daughter found a way to turn something old into something new. I also liked how the daughter cleverly creates something from the remains of the chewed up ribbon in the end. I loved the watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, needle and thread, digital collage and Photoshop illustrations and couldn't help being reminded of one of my favorite picture books, Joseph Had a Little Overcoat (1999) by Simms Taback in which a favorite article of clothing keeps getting smaller and smaller.
October 6, 2011
Lest anybody think I am All Boy All the Time, this great picture book about a style-conscious little girl and her crafty - in both senses of the word - mama almost made me wish I had little girl style crises in my own life. But alas. My boys will wear a pair of pants until it falls apart on them - not because they love those pants but because they have not actually noticed that their butts are visible through the holes in the seat.
Full review at Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/pink-me/201...
Full review at Pink Me: http://pinkme.typepad.com/pink-me/201...
September 11, 2016
Lovely both inside and out. A young girl's favorite dress changes with the seasons and her own growing self to become a shirt, a tank, a skirt, a scarf and more. Boni Ashburn's story has a wonderful vibrancy to it, with the repeated refrain of "Snip, snip, sew, sew, new [insert clothing item here] hello!". I also loved the final outcome of the dress, which is sweet and simple. Julia Denos' illustrations are gorgeous and the coloring is divine. I wish I could live in this picture book. And I wish I could sew like the girl's mother!
February 29, 2016
When a little girl's favorite dress becomes too short, what is a mother to do? The answer: use your sewing skills to repurpose it into a shirt, or course! I love the way the mom tells the daughter to not make mountains out of molehills, and finds a way to keep recycling the favorite "dress" into something else through each consecutive mishap! I wish sewing skills were more widely used and that moms and dads everywhere could do the simple fixes to make it possible for old, holey, short, or otherwise unsuitable clothing to continue being used!
September 11, 2011
I love books that have a sewing component, recalling all the times my Mom sewed things for my sister and me.This charming story is a great testament to problem-solving. What happens when your favorite dress gets too short? Creativity and a willingness to make the best of a situation will resonate with readers.
November 14, 2011
Quite similar to Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, except instead of an older Jewish man doing the repurposing, it's a chic African American pre-tween and her mother who keep getting the most out of a favorite dress. Might be fun to read the two books together.
March 14, 2016
This darling book filled with colorful vocabulary and poetic language shows what happens when a girl outgrows her favorite dress and her talented-at-sewing mama repurposes it again and again to make a shirt, skirt, scarf and bow. I love what the girl does with the scraps at the end. I love the warm relationship between mother and daughter and the expressive illustrations.
July 29, 2017
This is a modern version of the traditional overcoat story, which is made into a jacket, then vest, then tie, etc. In this case a little girl's dress goes through several transformations, ending up with pieces of the fabric in a collage picture the girl creates. Nice, exuberant illustrations.
July 30, 2011
"Just enough to make a story" with a fashionable twist. Stylish and fine.
November 15, 2011
adorable! Love the illustrations! I want her wardrobe :)
February 19, 2015
Absolutely terrific. Wonderful story with lively, colorful yet soft illustrations. An extremely popular seller in my bookstore.
November 16, 2017
This story is about a girl and her favorite dress. She outgrows it and her mama turns it into something else. She outgrow that and her mama turns it into something else. Her dress becomes socks and a hair bow. Eventually there is nothing left of her dress so she find a way to remember it always.
Multicultural literature because it is about people of color.
Writing training.
1- Ideas- This book's underlying idea is that you shouldn't give up when faced with a problem but instead work with what you have and find a way to solve it.
2-Voice- This book is a good example for students on writing in 1st person.
3- Word choice- This passage here is a great example of word choice. "It held my hair back on the windiest days, on the swingiest swings, and through my twirliest twirls in ballet class."
4- Sentence fluency- Repeating "snip, snip, sew, sew, helps the story flow.
5- Presentations- I liked how the book flowed. I liked how the days of the week were in bold and the repeating words, "snip, snip, sew, sew, were in another different font and large.
Finding books that contain people of color is hard. I like that students can read this book and see someone that looks like they do or read this book and see that people who don't look like they do can be in picture books too. This book uses days of the week and the author put them in a bigger font so they stand out to the reader. You could use this book when you are teaching about the days of the week.
This book repeats the phrase "snip, snip, sew, sew, ____ hello!" Children reading this book will have this refrain memorized and will be able to fluently read it. As students are writing it could be used to show how adding repeated words in your story helps the flow.
You could use this book to teach first, next, then and last order.
You could use this book to show students to write in first person voice.
You could use this book to teach students to "make mountains out of molehills." It is a good book about looking on the bright side and finding a solution to a problem.
Reading level: 3.4
Multicultural literature because it is about people of color.
Writing training.
1- Ideas- This book's underlying idea is that you shouldn't give up when faced with a problem but instead work with what you have and find a way to solve it.
2-Voice- This book is a good example for students on writing in 1st person.
3- Word choice- This passage here is a great example of word choice. "It held my hair back on the windiest days, on the swingiest swings, and through my twirliest twirls in ballet class."
4- Sentence fluency- Repeating "snip, snip, sew, sew, helps the story flow.
5- Presentations- I liked how the book flowed. I liked how the days of the week were in bold and the repeating words, "snip, snip, sew, sew, were in another different font and large.
Finding books that contain people of color is hard. I like that students can read this book and see someone that looks like they do or read this book and see that people who don't look like they do can be in picture books too. This book uses days of the week and the author put them in a bigger font so they stand out to the reader. You could use this book when you are teaching about the days of the week.
This book repeats the phrase "snip, snip, sew, sew, ____ hello!" Children reading this book will have this refrain memorized and will be able to fluently read it. As students are writing it could be used to show how adding repeated words in your story helps the flow.
You could use this book to teach first, next, then and last order.
You could use this book to show students to write in first person voice.
You could use this book to teach students to "make mountains out of molehills." It is a good book about looking on the bright side and finding a solution to a problem.
Reading level: 3.4
July 5, 2017
Hooray for picture books starring more girls of color!
I Had a Favorite Dress is about a little girl who has a favorite dress that she wears on Tuesdays, until one day the dress is too short. Luckily, her Mom knows her way around a sewing machine, because "SNIP, SNIP, and sew, sew" the dress becomes a new shirt with ruffles. The girl now wears her favorite shirt on Wednesdays. Of course the girl keeps growing, and the shirt soon becomes a tank top, a skirt, a scarf, a pair of socks and a hair bow, and then finally she takes the last scraps to make a piece of art. Throughout this, the new favorite clothing item becomes attached to the next day of the week.
The illustrator mixes watercolors and pencil in a palette of pretty pastels. The book feels light and the text is a well-structured poem that has a definite bounce to it and allows kids to feel their place in the story. My kids enjoyed the "SNIP, SNIP" and "sew, sew," particularly.
I love the way Boni Ashburn integrated the days of the week. We also see the seasons change to mark the passage of time as the girl gets older. I also love the variety of clothes for tacting purposes. If your child is working on learning the names of clothes, this is a great book (although the shirt looks a little like a dress).
Finally, I really appreciate the theme, which so universally deals with a child being upset that a favorite clothing item doesn't fit anymore. My son Luke is always really attached to his rainboots, and it's hard for him when they aren't seasonal or when he grows out of a pair and I can't find exactly the same style. Unfortunately, the book's subject matter doesn't excite him. Harry likes it much better.
****
I review books for children from the perspective of a parent of kids with autism. The review above is from a longer blog post about great books for kids with autism that can be used to learn the days of the week: http://www.lineupthebooks.com/days-of...
I Had a Favorite Dress is about a little girl who has a favorite dress that she wears on Tuesdays, until one day the dress is too short. Luckily, her Mom knows her way around a sewing machine, because "SNIP, SNIP, and sew, sew" the dress becomes a new shirt with ruffles. The girl now wears her favorite shirt on Wednesdays. Of course the girl keeps growing, and the shirt soon becomes a tank top, a skirt, a scarf, a pair of socks and a hair bow, and then finally she takes the last scraps to make a piece of art. Throughout this, the new favorite clothing item becomes attached to the next day of the week.
The illustrator mixes watercolors and pencil in a palette of pretty pastels. The book feels light and the text is a well-structured poem that has a definite bounce to it and allows kids to feel their place in the story. My kids enjoyed the "SNIP, SNIP" and "sew, sew," particularly.
I love the way Boni Ashburn integrated the days of the week. We also see the seasons change to mark the passage of time as the girl gets older. I also love the variety of clothes for tacting purposes. If your child is working on learning the names of clothes, this is a great book (although the shirt looks a little like a dress).
Finally, I really appreciate the theme, which so universally deals with a child being upset that a favorite clothing item doesn't fit anymore. My son Luke is always really attached to his rainboots, and it's hard for him when they aren't seasonal or when he grows out of a pair and I can't find exactly the same style. Unfortunately, the book's subject matter doesn't excite him. Harry likes it much better.
****
I review books for children from the perspective of a parent of kids with autism. The review above is from a longer blog post about great books for kids with autism that can be used to learn the days of the week: http://www.lineupthebooks.com/days-of...
August 30, 2024
I really appreciated finding this story about an urban mama, like me, who sews clothes and redesigns clothes for her kids. The collage-style illustrations and bits of font throughout that look handstitched match the message. It's also great that the family is non-white, unlike me, to really show sewing isn't just for small town Midwest mamas who grew up in 4H instead of Girl Scouts. This book helped my dudes realize how much work and care goes into their belongings - and that some of that work and care could be done by them!
I also loved being able to show my kids examples of how growing out of your favorite dress doesn't mean you have to leave it behind forever - it can become a shirt, a skirt, a scarf, a scrunchie, all the way down to a crafty embellishment and inspiration for the kid's own drawing. As a bonus layer, the story also goes through days of the week, pointing out how routines, favorite activities, and even friends also change over time.
If only I could edit out the bits about mountains and molehills, which sounds both preachy and messes up the pleasure of reading it aloud...but others apparently enjoy that moral layer on the story. I'm picky that way about rhyme and cliche. Still, I liked it even if it didn't help my girl get totally over her ballet slippers that don't fit...straight to bracelet for those?
I also loved being able to show my kids examples of how growing out of your favorite dress doesn't mean you have to leave it behind forever - it can become a shirt, a skirt, a scarf, a scrunchie, all the way down to a crafty embellishment and inspiration for the kid's own drawing. As a bonus layer, the story also goes through days of the week, pointing out how routines, favorite activities, and even friends also change over time.
If only I could edit out the bits about mountains and molehills, which sounds both preachy and messes up the pleasure of reading it aloud...but others apparently enjoy that moral layer on the story. I'm picky that way about rhyme and cliche. Still, I liked it even if it didn't help my girl get totally over her ballet slippers that don't fit...straight to bracelet for those?
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