Coat of Many Colors
By: Dolly Parton
Illustrated By: Brooke Boynton Hughes
Publication: October 18, 2016 by Grosset & Dunlap
32 pages
Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Level-2, Music, Poetry, Family
Source: Personal Library
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Goodreads description--Dolly Parton lends the lyrics of her classic song "Coat of Many Colors" to this heartfelt picture book for young readers.Country music legend Dolly Parton's rural upbringing in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee provides the backdrop for this special picture book. Using lyrics from her classic song "Coat of Many Colors," the book tells the story of a young girl in need of a warm winter coat. When her mother sews her a coat made of rags, the girl is mocked by classmates for being poor. But Parton's trademark positivity carries through to the end as the girl realizes that her coat was made with love "in every stitch." Beautiful illustrations pair with Parton's poetic lyrics in this heartfelt picture book sure to speak to all young readers.
We've had Coat of Many Colors for many years. But when I was going through our collection to find level-2 books for my son to read, this one was on the list. He read it recently, and there were a few words he needed a little prompting with, but overall, he read this book without any issues. I was surprised when he picked this one to read, as I don't think of it as being a "boy" book. But I find that when I give him free rein to choose as he will, sometimes he will surprise me. But doing so always makes for less tension. Forcing him to read daily has shown dividends in reading progress. He's reading quicker, more confidently, and overall better in only a few weeks' time.
Coat of Many Colors is a book based upon Dolly Parton's song of the same name. It's the story of a coat her mother made her out of pieces of rags they were given. Her family was poor, and she needed a coat. A neighbor gave them a box of rags, and her mother sewed a coat for her out of the rags. While she was sewing, her mother told her the Biblical story of Joseph and his coat of many colors that his father gave to him as well. Dolly felt loved and rich in her coat. Yet when it was time to go to school, other kids made fun of her homemade coat. In the book and song, Dolly says that it didn't faze her. She couldn't understand why others would think she was poor when she loved her coat and knew that her mother sewed it with love. Yet in the author's note at the end of the book, she talks about how vividly she remembers the bullying from other kids about her coat and that she doesn't think she healed from the pain until writing the song. She writes that she hopes this story helps one child feel less alone and others to see how bullying is hurtful.
I talk frequently in these reviews about how I appreciate a story with a moral. This story is a great one. It shows that we can feel loved, rich, and happy despite what others may say about us. It shows that bullies are missing some key points. It shows that we can choose happiness and joy despite how others treat us. Coat of Many Colors gets 4 Stars. Have you or your child read Coat of Many Colors? What did you think? Let me know!
