Pepper is getting a dress made for a special occasion. It's the first dress that has ever been made just for her, and she wants it to be perfect. But what pattern is right for her? Pepper is particular, and nothing works at first. Dotted Swiss? Too plain. Houndstooth? Not enough color. Pinstripe? Too glum. As Pepper learns about each fabric, she finds a reason why it's just not the one. Will Pepper ever be able to find the perfect pattern? Julie Kraulis takes readers on a journey through gorgeous patterns and their origins--from the mountains of Switzerland to the green grass of Scotland--in search of Pepper's ideal pattern. The incredible illustrations make for a dress, a character and a book that are impossible to forget.
Toronto-based artist and illustrator Julie Kraulis is passionate about ideas: the unexpected, profound, whimsical, smart. All that she encounters in this wide world becomes her inspiration. Since completing her Bachelor of Design in Illustration at the Ontario College of Art & Design, Julie spends most days in the studio with a pencil or paintbrush in hand, working on a wide range of projects from fine art to illustration to picture books.
Pepper is in search of a new dress for a special occasion. What pattern will she choose? There are many different fabrics and patterns. Some fabric patterns are explained. Cute story for girls and pretty illustrations!
Pepper has a very special occasion coming up and needs a new dress, but it has to be a special dress. Her mother takes her to Mr. Taylor’s shop to have one tailor made just for her. Mr. Taylor talks her through the process, first measuring her, and then shows her the fabrics for her to choose. He shows her each pattern and tells her the history of that pattern, or the history of the name behind it.
To the herringbone pattern, Pepper says: No thank you.
To the seersucker pattern, Pepper says: No thank you.
Mr. Taylor walks her through several fabrics, a tartan, houndstooth, and argyle. Pinstripe. Ikat. Pepper says: No thank you to each of them. He even shows her the fabric he made her grandmother’s wedding dress, dotted swiss, then toile, and just when Pepper is starting to despair that they’ll never find her perfect fabric, he pulls down a pattern that is pretty and strong, not too this, not too that. And as he pulls down this fabric, Pepper says: That’s the one!
For me, this was a nice walk down memory lane, I used to own a small fabric shop, and teach sewing, embroidery, smocking, etc. When my daughter was born, other than the clothes we received as baby gifts, she didn’t wear anything store-bought (except shoes, underwear, socks) until she was around ten years-old, not because I wouldn’t have bought them for her, but she liked being able to help pick out the fabrics, the designs. She liked having clothes that not everyone else had. My favourite “episode” of her taking this for granted was when I was dropping her off at school for Kindergarten when she said, in that, oh, by the way five year olds have, that she needed a new dress for the Christmas pageant that night and she would like a red velvet dress with a white ruffle-y slip. Please. And so it was done.
This charming children’s book is beautifully illustrated, with lovely colourful pictures alongside the story, including Pepper at her very special occasion in her very special dress.
Pub Date: 01 Aug 2017
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Penguin Random House Canada / Tundra Books
Pepper has a special occasion coming up and her mother takes her to the tailor for the perfect dress… As Pepper is shown a pattern and it’s origins explained she has a reason why it won’t work: “Dotted Swiss? Too plain. Houndstooth? Not enough color. Pinstripe? Too glum.” Will he be able to find the right fabric for her first dress?
I adored this book! So, so inventive and so fun. It is particularly aimed at a girl and I really liked that as it portrayed her as a girl who knows her own mind and won’t settle for less. It will speak right to that little girl in your life and will show her an example of how you want her to approach her own life!
“Mr. Taylor, What if I don’t like ANY of these patterns?”
I appreciated that the crafting of the dress was also shown even though its unlikely Pepper would have been there. It is a nice way to complete the story. I really enjoyed the explanations for the different patterns and where they came from or how they are traditionally used. It seems to make this book one a girl will want to hold onto as a keepsake no matter how they age.
The best thing about the book were the illustrations. I loved the modern sharpness with the overall blue tones that made colors pop. The clean open style just worked as a fabric pattern story. I loved how the patterns were drawn across the whole spread of the book paired with the little vignettes that showed the patterns being used.
I actually have the unique opportunity of reading picture books with the target audience. My nephew is a boy, of course, but it was amazing how interested he still seemed to be to learn about the patterns and to understand why she was going to pick out fabric and not just buy clothes. He always chooses an illustration to copy for his own drawing and he loved Pepper and the tailor making the pattern for her dress. We had a lot of fun reading this together even though it it totally aimed at a girl! I believe it is a book that will find a good home even at homes with both a boy and a girl.
BOTTOM LINE: Patterns, such an inventive subject…
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
______________________ You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my picture book reviews in a special feature called Boo's Picture Gallery...
Pepper needs a wonderful dress for a special occasion, and after taking her measurements, Mr. Taylor tells her about different patters around the world, and what they mean.
The illustrations are gorgeous, and in beautiful colors. While the story is interesting, and I enjoyed reading it, it won't attracts every kid. The sequential explanations about patterns make the plot get stuck, since not too much is going on. On the other hand, the topic is original, and taking a look on how a dress is made is definitively interesting, specially considering how kids rarely have the chance to see a tailor's work anymore.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Pepper is in need of a new dress for a special occasion. She and her mom make a special trip to their families favorite tailor, Mr. Taylor (of course) in a cute, old town. Mr. Taylor introduces Pepper to fabrics with different patterns and Pepper is determined to find the right pattern for her special occasion. Once Pepper has found the perfect pattern, Mr. Taylor makes her a special dress, where she then wears to a special day with her and her grandmother. At first I was curious how patterns and such would be an interesting read, however Kraulis has done a superb job. I loved learning about the different patterns and where they had originated from. Pepper's cute responses back as to why she does not want the pattern for her dress was adorable and I also feel they were relatable to how a child may respond. The illustrations are very sweet and eye catching, giving vibrancy to all the different patterns. This was a wonderful eye opener to how our clothes are made, but also how they may have originated. Wonderful read.
I like this book. There's millions wouldn't, but this is a book that teaches about the different types of patterns found in clothe. How many of us know what a houndstooth pattern is? Or a paisley? Have you heard of Seersucker? Would you know what it looks like?
I knew some of these patterns, mentioned in this cute picture book about a little girl trying to decide what sort of fabric she wanted to use to make a very special dress. It is sad that there probably aren't that many tailors left in the world, that would do this sort of thing anymore, and it is sweet that this book goes through telling about what makes each type of fabric unique, and where it came from. It is educational, as well as entertaining.
What a lovely way to teach about clothe, and patterns, and fabric.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Read this book for my son during our breakfast. An unlikely topic to read to a boy but it's actually good to know. I get to tell him stories about myself going into a tailor's shop to get my clothes customize to fit just me. This book is great because it introduces the name of the patterns on the fabric and where it came from and what it's called. I like the illustrations. I like that the author include fabrics from all over the world.
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.
I absolutely adore this book! Pepper is a girl with definite opinions about what she wants and what she does not want. Mr. Taylor, the tailor, will be making her dress for a special occasion and she needs to pick a pattern, but not a style for her dress--oh no, a pattern of material--and here begins a sweet and simple journey into the world of fabric patterns. Looking at the floor (herringbone), the chair (toile), the cat (ikat) and many more things, Mr. Taylor patiently and very simply explains what each pattern is called, sometimes explains what it was modeled on, sometimes.where it was from. Pepper vetoes each selection (with a kind of kid logic I truly admire--even as it made me chuckle) until, finally, armed with enough data, Mr. Taylor helps her find one that is just right for her and her special occasion. Pepper is involved in each step of the design, patiently stands for the fitting and ultimately wears her lovely new dress (but you must read the book to find out just which pattern she chose and what the special occasion was!)
This story will have a special appeal to those fashion and artistically minded souls--you know them--the ones who are making clothes for their toys, using all the duct tape to create a new accessory, or who insist on wearing this tutu with those boots and that shirt--no matter what.
While perhaps not everyone's, ahem, cup of tea, the story, as a shared readaloud could easily lead to great discussion about informative fiction, fact versus opinion, word origin, setting, even homophones and multiple meaning words. I wish only that a picture glossary with pronunciation and maybe a recap of the pattern name were included (perhaps in the final version). A list of kid-friendly websites or titles with more info on design or for sewing or museums of patterns would also be nice.
This review based on an advance copy provided to me through NetGalley.
What a clever book! Even though it is about choosing a little girl's dress, it takes place in a tailor shop, which is comfortable for all genders. It is a very pleasing way to be introduced to various textile patterns. I enjoyed learning how each was named. It also shows that it is fine to choose whichever pattern type is right for an individual.
I voluntarily accepted this book via Netgalley to review.
Full of pleasant art and facts about fabric patterns, this book will charm art and fashion-minded children and fill an empty spot in most library collections. It is very informative -- more nonfiction than fiction. Best suited for older primary readers, or perhaps especially patient younger ones with an appreciation for patterns.
This is a picture book with a smattering of words by Julie Kraulis.
This children’s book is super cute and created to be read to a child instead of a child reading the book themselves. This is showcasing all the different patterns that the tailor can use to create Pepper’s dress. Houndstooth, Striped, Harringbone, etc.
This illustrations in this are what makes it wonderful. They sure do pop and bring out the quirky character of Pepper. This would be a great gift for a child and one I am sure they will want you to read over and over to them.
If you adore the fantastic illustrations in children’s books, definitely pick this one up.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
I found this book a bit of a surprise (not sure what to expect exactly) and a delight. Along with Pepper, I learned about the origin of different textile patterns. A nice introduction for young readers that just might inspire them to take up sewing!
Very cute book. I think it's important to keep upcoming generations in the know of patterns, sewing, fabric, etc. This book is a great introduction into that.
A little girl goes to a tailor to have a dress made for a special occasion. The kindly tailor shows her a variety of patterns, giving her a short history lesson on each one (including ikat, paisley, houndstooth, swiss dot, etc). This is not non-fiction but includes facts seamlessly woven (tailor pun!) into a lovely intergenerational narrative. Julie Kraulis' delicate illustrations and impeccable sense of detail is the perfect style to represent so many different fabric styles. This book celebrates craftsmanship, sewing, history and will appeal to fans of princess books, fashion, and design. Totally charming!
Pepper is in need of a new dress for a special occasion so she and her mother ask Mr. Taylor to make one just right for her. Mr. Taylor takes her measurements and then explains that “fabrics are textiles and textiles come in all sorts of patterns.” He explains there are patterns in all things and begins to compare the floor to herringbone, and tells Pepper that design was inspired by the skeleton of a fish. He then goes on to explain plaids and houndstooth, argyle and ikat, dotted swiss and toile, until he has gone through the history and origins of most of the patterns in his shop. And then, when it seemed like Pepper wasn’t going to agree to any of them, Mr. Taylor finds exactly the right pattern for her special occasion. If you sew, even if you don’t sew, this book is a charm from beginning to end. The drawings are perfect, soft and vibrant and simple. The history of the patterns is informative for anyone, but if you have a young person in your life who is showing an interest in sewing, this book should be required.
The first thing that drew me to this book was the cover. How can anyone pass up a little girl sitting on bolts of fabric? A quick scan and I knew we would be taking this book home. The plot is a simple one any little girl would enjoy. Pepper needs a dress for a special occasion, so her mother takes her to tailor to have one made. The tailor teaches Pepper about the history of different patterns while they try and find the one that is just right for her. It isn’t a spoiler when I say they finally settle on a pattern and the dress turns out lovely.
My favorite part of the book is the history of the patterns. I am an avid crafter and sewer, so this appeals to me as a way I can introduce my daughter to the joys of sewing. My daughter’s favorite part was hearing about all the different parts of the world the patterns come from. We had to find each country on the map after reading the book!
This book is scheduled to be released on August 1, 2017 as a hardcover.
I like this one, A lot !!! Pepper is getting a dress made for a special occasion. It's the first dress that has ever been made just for her, and she wants it to be perfect. But what pattern is right for her? Pepper is particular, and nothing works at first. Dotted Swiss? Too plain. Houndstooth? Not enough color. Pinstripe? Too glum. As Pepper learns about each fabric, she finds a reason why it's just not the one. Will Pepper ever be able to find the perfect pattern? Julie Kraulis takes readers on a journey through gorgeous patterns and their origins--from the mountains of Switzerland to the green grass of Scotland--in search of Pepper's ideal pattern. The incredible illustrations make for a dress, a character and a book that are impossible to forget.
This is a beautifully illustrated children's story with an unexpected twist. The author doesn't talk about typical patterns you find in kids books, she writes a wonderful tale about fabric patterns and their origins. Pepper is looking for the perfect pattern for her new dress for her special day. She takes a trip to the family tailor, Mr Taylor's, for help. Mr. Taylor takes her on a journey through fabrics until she finds the perfect one for her day. I loved the simple color palate used in the story and the creative ways the text was woven in through the illustrations.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
It's not often that you come across a children's picture book that has so many amazing unique elements to it - it's soothing storytelling not only gives you the main character's good-natured adventure and are emotionally invested in the outcome, but you will also learn things that you will not soon forget! And when I say "you" I mean whomever is reading the book - whether you're a child, parent, teacher, etc.
In A PATTERN FOR PEPPER, Pepper is in need of a new dress for a special occasion so her mother takes her to their family tailor, who is conveniently named Mr. Taylor - which may have been done purposely for the young reader to remember and relate Mr. Taylor to his job as a tailor, but made me and my boys giggle at the coincidence... Mr. Taylor is determined to help Pepper find the perfect fabric for her dress and introduces her to many patterns - houndstooth, toile, argyle, and many others. With each pattern that is introduced to Pepper, Mr. Taylor explains what the fabric is, or why and how the pattern got it's name - very fun and informative! I've never given much thought to fabric patterns before, and as someone who comes from a long line of maternal seamstresses you'd think I would have known some of these!
After a few patterns are introduced and Pepper answers as to why none of them would work for her, Mr. Taylor finally finds the perfect fabric for Pepper, and together, they design, cut, piece and sew the dress... in the end, we see Pepper wearing her beautiful new dress to her special occasion and the entire story falls into place...
The illustrations are unbelievably remarkable - soft pencil drawings, and yet memorable and bold. It is hard to explain, but it is as if the illustrator poured their heart into each and every stroke of their pencil... and considering that this story was inspired by the author's mother and grandmother, I'm guessing that I may be right on this feeling...
What I loved most about this book is that if you pay attention to ALL of the illustrations, Mr. Taylor's explanations and stories of each pattern and all the little details that one may miss the first time reading, there is underlying story that you can also piece together - and it is the sweetest thing to see how everything in this book ties together so beautifully! Which will make you want to re-read the story, over and over again to feel the love and warmth of it all.
A definite favorite for those who love to sew, loves clothes, pattern, history or just a thoughtful and engaging story to share with someone they adore!
*A hardcover copy was sent to me by the publisher, Tundra Books, for an honest review. All thoughts here are my own.
Pepper needs a dress for a special occasion, so she and her mother go to Taylor’s to have a dress specially made. First, Mr. Taylor measures Pepper and then it’s time for Pepper to choose the fabric. But there are so many that it’s not that simple! Some of the patterns are too cold, others are too bumpy. As they discuss each pattern, Mr. Taylor offers information on the pattern and its name, explaining where the pattern came from in the world. After Pepper rejects pattern after pattern, she starts to wonder if she will ever find the right one. Happily, Mr. Taylor has been listening to all of her likes and dislikes and figures out the exact pattern that Pepper will love.
Kraulis combines information on each textile pattern with an engaging look at a child empowered to make this decision for herself. Throughout the adults show patience and a sense of Pepper’s ability to work through the problem with their expertise helping. Pepper is an engaging character, firmly knowing her own mind without being rude. As readers learn about the patterns, they will enjoy seeing what their own favorites are and whether they agree with Pepper on her choice.
The illustrations are done in a limited color palette with primarily blues and browns on the page. This limited color scheme allows the patterns to really be the focus rather than the color of the fabrics. The illustrations have a nice texture to them as well that lends itself to a book about textiles.
An empowered young heroine makes her pattern a priority in this picture book. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
~Disclaimer~ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pepper needs a dress for a special occasion. Her mother takes her to Mr. Taylor's shop to have one made. Mr. Taylor hakes her measurements. Pepper is then shown fabrics in many different patterns to choose from. After saying no to a bunch of patterns she picks the perfect one. Mr. Taylor and Pepper then get to sketching and design her a dress. Mr. Taylor works on her dress all afternoon. When it is finished Pepper loves it, it is her perfect pattern. I thought that this book was really cute and a different day to talk about pattern that aren't normally taught. Children books usually only take about stripes or polka-dots . This book shows herringbone, houndstooth, and even Ikat. I also liked that this book shows children how clothing is made. There is measuring, designing, cutting, sewing and fitting involved. I really enjoyed the illustration style, everything had a pattern. I thought that the main character, Pepper, was super cute. I recommend this book as a must buy.
A Pattern for Pepper is a picture book by Julie Kraals that is currently scheduled for release on August 1 2017. Pepper is getting a dress made for a special occasion. It's the first dress that has ever been made just for her, and she wants it to be perfect. But what pattern is right for her? Pepper is particular, and nothing works at first. Dotted Swiss? Too plain. Houndstooth? Not enough color. Pinstripe? Too glum. As Pepper learns about each fabric, she finds a reason why it's just not the one. Will Pepper ever be able to find the perfect pattern?
A Pattern for Pepper is a charming story about a young girl seeking the perfect fabric for a special dress. She is shown a series of patterns, complete with some history and information about the pattern. I learned some history and neat tidbits about fabric and patterns that were completely new to me. I thought I was pretty knowledgeable about the subject matter, but was glad to have such a board range of fabrics explored. I think some young readers or listeners mightiest a little bored with the sheer amount of information- particularly those with no interest in fabric or patterns. However, the information is delivered in a way that many will enjoy the story and take in the information.
A Pattern for Pepper by @juliekraulisbooks and published by @tundrabooks is a sweet little journey through the history of textiles and patterns with Pepper who is trying to find the perfect pattern for a custom dress for a very special occasion. There are so many patterns to choose from but will she find one that's just right for her? . One of the great things about Julie Kraulis' work is the new information that you learn about the world through her stories. In A Pattern for Pepper she takes us on a journey from Scotland to Switzerland and points in between sharing with us the origins of some of the most famous and most recognizable patterns we see everyday. I learned so much from this charming little story and so did The Bear and The Bee. We took some time to pick out our favourite patterns and when we visit with my Mom we can explore her mountains of fabric to see if we can find some from the story and new ones too. The illustrations are bright and eye catching but soft and welcoming and layered with the different patterns from the story. With a charming little ending this book is another to add to our collection!
Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Books for providing me with an advance copy to read and review.
Pepper needs a special dress for a very special occasion. But will she be able to find the perfect pattern that's just right?
This book was so cute! Pepper is so adorable. She's classy and sassy and knows what she wants just like any child. I got a Goldilocks and the Three Bears vibe from reading this story. I also liked learning about the different kinds of fabrics, which immersed me more into what was happening.
What I loved most about this book were the illustrations. My eyes swept over the pages, needing to take in every little wonderful detail and color. I love the way the pictures are laid out on the page and that sometimes you get a different angle/perspective of a scene. Interesting border choices are used as well that I found to be particularly complimentary to the story.
A sweet story that tells it like it is, I'd recommend it to child readers and anyone who enjoys children's fiction. I definitely want to read more books by Julie Kraulis.
This is a cute little book for children to learn about different textures of material. Pepper is having a special day and wants an extra special dress for the occasion. Mom takes her to the tailor in town and she goes through material like herringbone, seersucker, swiss dot and more. Nothing seems to be the extra special material she wanted. Finally she fines the perfect one and watches as the tailor cuts out the pattern and makes the special dress. This is also a great book for children to learn the origin and how they got the name of the fabric. I learned alot in this book also. I recommend this book for 5+ and it is a great beginner second level book though you may have to help with the names of fabric. I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I wish there were more picture books like this one out there! Clothing construction is becoming a lost art for young people but A Pattern for Pepper helps a young girl pick a material pattern for a new dress to wear to tea with her grandmother. It playfully illustrates fabrics like herringbone, tartan plaid and dotted swiss giving just a little history about each fabric Pepper observes. After she picks the pattern the author shows the process of using a sewing pattern to create the dress. Great book to encourage textile arts or just for fun!
I obtained a copy of this book through Net Galley and have left an honest review.