Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

Oh, it seems so wonderful that I'm going to live with you and belong to you. 

I've never belonged to anybody—not really.

That child is hard to understand in some respects. But I believe she'll turn out all right yet. And there's one thing certain, no house will ever be dull that she's in."

I've joined an online US Facebook children's book club. Next month our book is the famous US classic Anne of Green Gables (1908). Until last month I had not read this book. I shared this with one of our esteemed children's literature experts here in Australia and she was utterly shocked and so I felt compelled to now read Anne of Green Gables. I hunted around for a cheaper print copy but eventually I settled on reading an ebook. If you haven't read this classic here are some detailed notes about the themes and plot. You could also consider listening to the audio book - here is a five-minute sample. I also found some free examples. 

Did I love Anne of Green Gables? Not really. There were parts I enjoyed especially early in the story but after a few chapters I found it a bit repetitive and I grew a little tired of anticipating that every 'activity' would end in a disaster for Anne. 

What parts did I enjoy? 

• The rich vocabulary with words like betokened; wincey; alabaster brow; irreproachable; capricious; coruscations; prosaic; and tenacity

• The beautifully expressed descriptions of nature: 

" ... the orchard on the slope below the house was in a bridal flush of pinky-white bloom, hummed over by a myriad of bees."

"Very green and neat and precise was that yard, set about on one side with great patriarchal willows and the other with prim Lombardies. Not a stray stick nor stone was to be seen ..."

"Above the bridge the pond ran up into fringing groves of fir and maple and lay all darkly translucent in their wavering shadows. Here and there a wild plum leaned out from the bank like a white-clad girl tip-toeing to her own reflection. From the marsh at the head of the pond came the clear, mournfully-sweet chorus of the frogs."

"On both sides of the house was a big orchard, one of apple-trees and one of cherry-trees, also showered over with blossoms; and their grass was all sprinkled with dandelions. In the garden below were lilac-trees purple with flowers, and their dizzily sweet fragrance drifted up to the window on the morning wind."

"There were rosy bleeding-hearts and great splendid crimson peonies; white, fragrant narcissi and thorny, sweet Scotch roses; pink and blue and white columbines and lilac-tinted Bouncing Bets; clumps of southernwood and ribbon grass and mint; purple Adam-and-Eve, daffodils, and masses of sweet clover white with its delicate, fragrant, feathery sprays ..."

• I loved some of the characters especially Matthew Cuthbert and Diana. I also appreciated the tiny insights into Marilla and her slowly developing love of Anne. 

• The touches of humor:

"If Marilla had said that Matthew had gone to Bright River to meet a kangaroo from Australia Mrs. Rachel could not have been more astonished. She was actually stricken dumb for five seconds."

"She thought in exclamation points. A boy! Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of all people adopting a boy! From an orphan asylum! Well, the world was certainly turning upside down! She would be surprised at nothing after this! Nothing!"

"But if you call me Anne please call me Anne spelled with an E. ... A-n-n looks dreadful, but A-n-n-e looks so much more distinguished."

"I have no hard feelings for you, Mrs. Barry. I assure you once for all that I did not mean to intoxicate Diana and henceforth I shall cover the past with the mantle of oblivion."

"Yes; but cakes have such a terrible habit of turning out bad just when you especially want them to be good,"

"Almost a month having elapsed since the liniment cake episode, it was high time for her to get into fresh trouble of some sort, little mistakes, such as absentmindedly emptying a pan of skim milk into a basket of yarn balls in the pantry instead of into the pigs' bucket ... "

"I've learned a new and valuable lesson today. Ever since I came to Green Gables I've been making mistakes, and each mistake has helped to cure me of some great shortcoming. The affair of the amethyst brooch cured me of meddling with things that didn't belong to me. The Haunted Wood mistake cured me of letting my imagination run away with me. The liniment cake mistake cured me of carelessness in cooking. Dyeing my hair cured me of vanity. I never think about my hair and nose now—at least, very seldom. And today's mistake is going to cure me of being too romantic."

• Character descriptions:

Anne - "A child of about eleven, garbed in a very short, very tight, very ugly dress of yellowish-gray wincey. She wore a faded brown sailor hat and beneath the hat, extending down her back, were two braids of very thick, decidedly red hair. Her face was small, white and thin, also much freckled; her mouth was large and so were her eyes, which looked green in some lights and moods and gray in others."

Anne - " ... the ordinary observer; an extraordinary observer might have seen that the chin was very pointed and pronounced; that the big eyes were full of spirit and vivacity; that the mouth was sweet-lipped and expressive; that the forehead was broad and full; in short, our discerning extraordinary observer might have concluded that no commonplace soul inhabited the body of this stray woman-child of whom shy Matthew Cuthbert was so ludicrously afraid."

"Diana was sitting on the sofa, reading a book which she dropped when the callers entered. She was a very pretty little girl, with her mother's black eyes and hair, and rosy cheeks, and the merry expression which was her inheritance from her father.

• And of course Anne's relentless imagination. 

How do you feel about the love story? I was a little frustrated that it took so long to reach this scene but I guess the stage is set for the sequel/s. Will I keep reading this series? Probably not but I might try to find the television series. 

Confession - I have been to Prince Edward Island twice (and yes I do live in Australia) but when I visited I had no interest in this famous book. My visit to island was fabulous though, because I had an introduction to a resident - a lady and her husband who were entitled to called themselves Islanders. I had been teaching in Alberta and a wonderful library volunteer had a connection with a family who lived on PEI. I am so glad I took hold of my courage and phoned them. It was an evening to remember ending with the wife and I sitting in front of their fabulous bookshelves exploring her huge picture book collection! I am sad I no longer remember their names. 

"I've always heard that Prince Edward Island was the prettiest place in the world, and I used to imagine I was living here, but I never really expected I would. It's delightful when your imaginations come true, isn't it?"

Here are our Book Club titles for 2025:

The Boy in the Suit by James Fox

Right from the beginning of this book it is clear this young boy has a fraught relationship with his mother and also it is clear that she is suffering from a serious mental illness. When he was born, she named her son Solo. This name means Solo has to suffer lots of bullying and name calling at school. 

On page two we read a description of Morag's clothing:

"Morag was wearing her favourite party outfit: a black leather jacket, black hat with lace that partially covered her eyes, smart black skirt with black tights, and black boots that came up to her knees."

Then we read about her moods:

"Morag got in a mood like this sometimes. She had a special name for it: the Big Bad Reds, or the BBRs for short. Apparently, an evil red mist would descent into her eyes, and all she could see was how rubbish the whole world was. Whenever Morag was suffering from the BBrs, her voice went snappy and the words she used didn't sound anything like the real her .. There were so many words like depression and anxiety floating around, but I wasn't sure that's what Morag had. All I knew was that some of her mood were trickier than others."

Dad left long ago and now mum (Solo calls her Morag) has lost her job. It is clear they will be evicted very soon because the rent has not been paid. As a way to find food Morag takes Solo along to funerals. They sit though the church service and then 'gate crash' the after party. Solo wears an old charity shop suit which is way too big for him but it does have large pockets. He also carries small plastic bags. He collects the buffet food surreptitiously and then deposits it Morag's large handbag. Solo hates doing this and he is also in desperate fear they will be found out. It is even worse when Morag finds the free drinks at the 'party' and often becomes quite drunk.

Then comes the funeral where they are 'found out'. And even worse a newspaper publishes photos of Solo and Morag and the social media world goes viral. And Solo get a new horrid name - Funeral Boy.

The part of this book that made me shudder is the description of the way Solo's teacher treats him. She has absolutely no emotional intelligence, no empathy and is at times, even cruel towards Solo who clearly is suffering. He has no food, the wrong clothes and with no access to proper hygiene I am sure he must smell. All she can do is give him demerit points and threats. The scenes near the end of the book when she learns the truth about Solo and his dreadful life circumstances left me feeling hollow. Her apology feels somewhat fake especially when she tells Solo her own mum also had mental health issues. I was left wanting to scream at her for her terrible behaviour. Luckily there is a teacher's aide in the school who does see Solo needs help. She is able to give him shoes and information about a local food bank. Sadly his mum will not accept charity and so they do not visit the food bank and she refuses to complete the necessary forms. The other wonderful character in this book is a new girl called Chetna. She is kind to Solo, she is patient with him, and she is even willing to take huge risks when Morag goes missing and Solo makes a plan to travel to a seaside holiday resort by running away from a school excursion. 

There are other adults who want to help Solo but he is so protective of Morag - these parts of this story will break your heart. 

The Boy in the Suit is a stark portrayal of the cost of living crisis and its impact on children. It highlights those invisible children who can easily slip through the cracks if other adults in their lives are not checking in and providing support (without waiting for the child to ask). Empathetic, sensitive and honest, this story is one that will stay with readers long after the book is finished. Scope for Imagination

While it highlights the reality of life with a parent experiencing mental health issues and the difficulties caused by child poverty, it also carries a message of hope, the value of friendship, and the courage it can take to accept help from others.  Book Trust

There are more plot details and some discussion questions here. 

This book will be available here in Australia in May 2025. Somehow a copy arrived in the Westmead Children's Hospital Book Bunker library so I borrowed it last week. The cover makes this look like a Young Adult title and indeed The Empathy Lab collection for 2025 put this book into their 12-16 book set. Other reviewers, however, say 9-11. In my view this is one of those cross over books - it will appeal to mature readers in Grade 6 but it could also be enjoyed by students in Grade 7 and 8.

Here are the 2025 Empathy list book titles:

Companion books:

The wrong shoes

Small as an Elephant

New Clothes for New Year's Day by Hyun-Ju Bae

"Today is New Year's Day.

It's a new year

it's a new day, and

it's a new morning.

It's the first day for the beginning of everything."

New Year's Day is an important holiday in Korea. Children wear special clothes. In this book the little girl carefully puts on each piece of clothing:

"She wears a crimson silk skirt, a rainbow-striped jacket and a furry vest. She puts on cotton socks and shoes, both embroidered with flowers. She also wears a headband and ties a hair of ribbon of red and gold to the end of the braid. Her hat protects her from the cold as she makes her New Year visits. She also has a lucky charm and bag to hang from the jacket string."

Symbolism

• Rainbow-striped jacket represents things such as water, fire, metal, wood and earth.
• The striped patter represents the wish that the wearer be in harmony.
• The embroidery on the socks is for good luck.

You can see the whole book here on this video. Sadly, this book is long out of print but it might be in your school or local library. Today marks the beginning of Chinese New Year celebrations but it would be good to share this book to show how this event is also celebrated in Korea. New Clothes for New Year was a 2008 USBBY notable book.

KOREAN NEW YEAR ACTIVITIES 2024 Saturday 10th February

Give gifts

In addition to yummy food and family reunions, another reason that Seollal is a special holiday is the custom of giving and receiving gifts. This gift-giving extends beyond homes to workplaces when companies usually offer each of their employees a gift as well. So the best way to celebrate would be by giving gifts.

Play folk games

We can also celebrate by participating in traditional folk games. Folk games are a major part of New Year festivities for Koreans. The most commonly played game is ‘Yut Nori,’ a traditional Korean board game. Men also go out for some kite flying, starting on the Lunar New Year and in the days leading up to the new year’s first full-moon day. For young women, ‘neol ddwigi’ is also a popular activity.

Eat Korean food

Almost any large family gathering in any culture generally revolves largely around food. So an amazing way to celebrate Korean New Year is by eating Korean food. One main dish that is considered comfort food during Korean New Year is ‘Tteokguk’ (rice cake soup). This starchy and soothing bowl of soup is a beloved New Year's tradition.

More information here. 

The Spell Tailors by James Nicol

When I see the publisher Chicken House I know the book will be good. This book, The Spell Tailors also has an appealing cover and an intriguing blurb:

Hen dreams of becoming a spell tailor, stitching magic into clothing like his beloved Nana. But thanks to new factories, spell tailors are struggling. His Uncle Bertie’s fancy shop has shut down, and when he, Aunt Lucia and stuck-up cousin Connie move in, it’s a disaster for all the family. Then Hen stumbles upon a new kind of stitch – one which causes Nana and Bertie to ban him from sewing. What is the power of the stitch that can sew memories into clothes – and could it be the very thing to save them all?

I started The Spell Tailors just after lunch yesterday because it was a rainy day and early this morning i finished the whole book because I was so desperate for a happy ending.

Hen is short for Henryton but only his uncle uses this long form of his name. In the world of this book clothing is made by hand and extra special clothes have spells added for things like warmth, fit and to make a good impression. 

Spell stitches could infuse a garment with strange properties, from a summer dress or shirt to keep you cool on a hot day, to a glow stitch that made a garment shimmer and shine like the moon or a starlit night. These wonders and more resided in the Danelli family spell stitches. These were the secrets they brought to their garments – secrets that had secured their business for nearly 400 years. Hen opened the book, turning the cloth pages carefully. The stitches looked like ripples in water, circles within circles. Tilt your head just so and they looked a little like a spider’s web. More stitches connected the circles, like the spokes of a wheel.

Meanwhile there is a woman who has visited their shop. Hen is sure she is intending to bring trouble and this is confirmed when Hen and Connie follow Uncle Bertie to her factory. The scenes there felt like the ones I experienced in books like this:

Bread and Roses too

Counting on Grace

The nasty insect-like creatures Hen encounters when he travels through the memory are sure to remind you of Studio Ghibli films such as Howl's Moving Castle and My Neighbor Totoro.

You can read an extract of The Spell tailors here. And here is the web page for James Nicol. Listen to an audio sample. 

This book could be a terrific family read aloud ages 7-10 or you might listen to the audio version on a long car trip perhaps. There is also an understated message in this story about repairing our clothes not constantly purchasing new ones. 

It’s also nice to see a boy protagonist in this kind of family-focused, believing-in-yourself fantasy! While there’s plenty of excitement, this is generally quite a soft, cosy book, and I like seeing a boy who isn’t forced into a more ‘masculine’ action role, but is allowed to love his grandmother, worry about his friendship with his cousin, and enjoy his art! Hen is lovely, and his kindness, bravery, and perseverance make him a great, gentle role model. A Cat A Book and a Cup of Tea

This post is in memory of my mum who would be turning 103 tomorrow. She taught herself to sew and to use a knitting machine. Her sister and mother were very skilled with sewing and other crafts and I think she felt that she was in their shadow. I desperately wish I had said thank you and wow and well done over and over again when she made me the most gorgeous clothes and I also wish I could turn back time and take photos of so many of my favourites such as the orange paisley pant suit; my Heidi dress with the eyelet thread holes; the cream and red check dress with the patent leather belt; the beautiful pale green French wool machine knitted jumper; and the red dress with button front and circle skirt. If you are reading this - thanks mum. 

Sequins and Secrets - The House of Serendipity by Lucy Ivison illustrated by Catharine Collingridge

Myrtle Mathers has lost her tailor father and her mother has been forced to move back to Ireland. Myrtle has stayed in London and she is sent to work as a maid with the Cartwright family. It is 1926 and it is the debutante season. Sylvia Cartwright is too young to be "out" but her sister has been presented at court and she is now ready to attend a series of balls with the purpose of finding a wealthy husband. None of this interests Sylvia. She is more interested in drawing, especially drawing stage costumes and elaborate clothes.  When Myrtle arrives in their household it seems like the perfect match. Myrtle has worked with her father since she was a young child. She is a very skilled seamstress and she can interpret drawings in to patterns.

The problem here, though, is one of class.  Myrtle is a servant. Sylvia is a lady.  Myrtle cannot afford to loose her job but Sylvia is a wild girl who encourages Myrtle to take bigger and bigger risks - making a daring ball gown firstly for Sylvia's sister Delphine and then for Sylvia's friend Agapantha Portland-Price who wants to escape the world of debutantes and travel to the Amazon. Agapantha will attend her ball before she runs away but she is determined to wear pants - this is sure to cause a huge scandal. 

I also loved the clothing sketches and designs.

Here is a text quote to give you a flavour of this book. In this scene Agapantha is wearing her disguise so she looks like a young man when she sets off on the voyage to the Amazon.

"See how I am just eating away at this apple? Mother says ladies should never eat in public. I mean, I could go anywhere right now and no one would say a word. I could climb that tree without getting my skirt caught or being told off for being unladylike. I could buy a bicycle from Harrods and ride it right through the park. I feel like everyone looks at you differently, or more they don't even notice you."

This is a story which will really sweep you away to the glamorous times of the 1920s. There are some tiny issues of credibility in this story but really you just need to put these aside and just enjoy meeting Myrtle and Syliva. For example it seems quite impossible that Myrtle could work really hard all day in her job as a maid and then spend all night sewing very elaborate clothes. We know her fingers are worked until they are red raw but surely she did need some sleep. Her work certainly made me feel very tired.

The descriptions of the outfits are divine and to be coveted! My Shelves are Full

A charming tale of sisterhood woven together with fashion, history, and subterfuge. Kirkus

Full of historical detail, ‘Sequins and Secrets’ is also a story of great courage and determination- of having dreams and pursuing them.  North Somerset Teachers book Award

Here is an alternate cover:

This book is the first in a planned series.  Take a look at the Usborne Books trailer.  Book two will arrive in 2022 with the title Movie Stars and Mystery.

Companion reads - first off one for younger readers followed by two which would be perfect for readers aged 10+.

Rose's Dress of Dreams

The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow

The Truth about Verity Sparks

The Hatmakers by Tamzin Merchant

The Hatmakers are commissioned to make a special hat for the King. Every component is important. For example Cordelia helps Aunt Ariadne add spider silk from the Brown Study Spider to the hat. Spiders work hard to spin their silk and so this is added to the hat to help the King work hard. It is specifically from a Brown Study Spider because this spider likes paper and silence and the king needs paper and silence to concentrate. Next Cordelia heads off to fetch a fresh flower from the St Aegis Vine but the most important thing is missing - the ear feather from the Athenian Owl - the wisest bird in the world which would have kept the King focused on his work and keen to remain undisturbed.

In the world of this book there are makers commissioned by the royal family - hatmakers, bootmakers, watchmakers, glovemakers, and cloakmakers. Once these artisans worked together in cooperation but something has happened and now they avoid one another and if they do meet there is suspicion and anger. The King himself seems to be losing his mind. He is sent away and his daughter Princess Georgina must now meet with the King of France. War is threatened and it seems one of the royal advisers is fuelling a fire. Lord Witloof appears to want a war. Cordelia is so worried about her father who has been reported drowned. She teams up with a young member of the bootmakers called Goose, and they form a team to thwart the evil intentions of Lord Witloof and to prevent a disastrous war with France. Along the way they will also need to make sense of the rift between the makers and learn who they can truly trust.

Publisher Blurb: Cordelia comes from a long line of magical milliners, who weave alchemy and enchantment into every hat. In Cordelia's world, Making - crafting items such as hats, cloaks, watches, boots and gloves from magical ingredients - is a rare and ancient skill, and only a few special Maker families remain.  When Cordelia's father Prospero and his ship, the Jolly Bonnet, are lost at sea during a mission to collect hat ingredients, Cordelia is determined to find him. But Uncle Tiberius and Aunt Ariadne have no time to help the littlest Hatmaker, for an ancient rivalry between the Maker families is threatening to surface. Worse, someone seems to be using Maker magic to start a war.  It's up to Cordelia to find out who, and why...

This is a new book and it is such fun.  I love the idea of hats that contain extra powers. 

A swashbuckling romp for lovers of history and magic. Kirkus

Merchant's writing is stunning and vivid, written with a beautiful prose style that is both accessible and full of elegance and wit. Forever Lost in Literature

You can read Chapter One here. This book is the first in a planned series. I highly recommend it for readers aged 10+. In this short video Tamzin talks about her book. You could use this to book talk The Hatmakers with your students. I should also mention there are some delicious food references in this story and there is a detailed, and highly imaginative glossary describing the various hat embellishments. Here is an example:

"Starlight - Lux stellaria - when strained through glass into a silver bowl, starlight is used to give hope and guidance to lost souls. Sprinkled on a hat, it fills the mind with sparkling ideas for adventures that promise to renew the spirit."

 I also love that Tamzin uses a very rich vocabulary in her story with words like grimoires; tomes; eldritch; jollity; rue; creatrix; and phaeton. 

Rose's Dress of Dreams by Katherine Woodfine illustrated by Kate Pankhurst

"You will become a very rich woman and wear a fine dress to the Royal Court"

Rose has a dream. She loves beautiful dresses. One day she is sure she will create one that is truly special:

"Often at night, Rose dreamed of the most beautiful dress of all. It was a dress woven out of moonlight and starlight. A dress rippled and swished like the wind across the sea. A dress with skirts that stretched as wide as the might sky and glittered all over with stars."

Her mother has no time for these dreams but one day a fortune-teller arrives in the small French town. The fortune-teller confirms her dream and so taking this message into her heart, Rose leaves her home and sets off for Paris. She meets rejection at every turn until finally she is taken in by Mademoiselle Pagelle. Rose expects to begin designing the gowns of her dreams straight away but instead she is put to work sweeping, polishing and scrubbing. 

She spends many weeks working hard but one day the most wonderful opportunity arises. Rose is sent to deliver a splendid dress to the Princess de Conti. Arriving at the grand house she is taken into a room where she waits with a servant or so she things. Actuallu this simply dressed lady is not a servant - she is the Princess. Rose has told her all about her dream to create beautiful gowns. This wonderful moment means her dream can now come true.

I smiled through this whole story - it feels like a fairy tale - then I gasped. At the end of the book Katherine Woodfine explains this story is based on a real person. Marie-Jean Rose Bertin (known as Rose) was born in 1747. She did indeed travel to Paris and she did design and make beautiful gowns for the royal court including for the famous Marie Antoinette. 

Perfect for any young fashion fans, the story is a lovely read for children just moving away from picture books, and is resplendent with historical and dressmaking detail. Book Trust

Together, Woodfine and Pankhurst have created a truly shining gem of a book. Minerva Reads

You can read the first chapter on the Barrington Stoke web site. I do love this series - Little Gems. Every story is a delight to read. They are perfect for newly independent readers. In this video Katherine Woodfine reads chapter three from her book. And in this video Katherine talks about her book.

Check out the web site for the illustrator Kate Pankhurst (I was delighted to discover she is indirectly related to Emmeline Pankhurst)and the author Katherine Woodfine.

Many years ago I read The Clockwork Sparrow which is for an older age group and I really loved it. I now discover this book is part of a series The Sinclair's Mysteries. I need to add the other three titles onto my expanding "to read" list.

Little Mouse gets ready by Jeff Smith

It is time to go. Little Mouse is not quite ready. Every toddler and young child will recognise the struggles of Little Mouse. First thing, on go the underpants. "Check for the tag. That's at the back." Next it's socks, pants, shoes and those pesky jacket buttons. "I did it. I'm READY!"

Spoiler alert - here are the next lines of the conversation between Little Mouse and his mum:

'Little Mouse? Are you ready to go?'

'YES, Mama!'

'Why, Little Mouse! WHAT are you doing?'

'What do you mean, Mama?'

'Well ... mice don't wear clothes!'

Little Mouse gets ready is a beginning chapter book and it is a Toon book. It won an honour in the 2010 Theodore Geisel Awards. I am so lucky to visit an amazing school library each week where the Teacher-Librarian has collected a very large number of Toon titles. These are perfect for the youngest readers who are just gaining confidence with print. You can see some pages from Little Mouse gets ready here.

I know that every time I review one I say, "This one’s the best!" but I think Little Mouse Gets Ready actually is. If you haven’t seen a TOON Book before, this is a good place to start. Cute and surreal all at once; my favorite combination. Elizabeth Bird School Library Journal

All of this effort by the Little Mouse to put on his clothes reminded me of the scenes from Sunshine by Jan Ormerod.

My Forever Dress by Harriet Ziefert illustrated by Liz Mrurphy

Did you watch the ABC television series here in Australia called "The War on Waste"? The episode that resonated most strongly with me was the one that focused on fashion waste. We have become, in the Western world, people who treat clothing as though it were fast food.  Here is an excellent segment from our ABC Television series BTN (Behind the News) which explains this issue to Primary students. Here is a set of activities to use with this video.

This is such an important topic and this book provides a perfect way to raise awareness of recycling our clothes for a very young reader. It is also a beautiful book that shows a grandmother sharing her skills and love with her grand daughter.

As the story begins our narrator is six years old and her beautiful (young looking) grandmother offers to make her a dress. I well remember my mum measuring me for the dresses she made. This new dress is splendid and the little girl enjoys wearing it to a party for her cousin.

One year later her grandmother suggests they should modify the dress.

"We need to do our part, ... we should use new material only if we have to. You're no wider, just taller, so let's start with what we have and add to it."

The new (modified) dress is perfect and especially comfortable when worn with pink leggins.

Another year goes by.

"Now I am eight. Grandma offers to make me a new dress, but I don't really want one. I like my old dress ... and I live helping the environment."

Grandma is a skilled seamstress. She pulls the dress apart and changes it again.

This time she also knits a sweater from wool purchased a "long long time" ago. The new outfit is perfect for her ninth birthday party (it's the one on the front cover) but:

"Now I am early ten. My shape is changing. I am growing all around. I ask Grandma to measure me for a new dress."  Her old dress with not go to waste, though. She offers it to her little cousin.

Here is a video of the whole book although sadly they did not include the glorious end papers. My forever Dress was published in 2009 so it is now out of print. I really love the art in this book but I haven't found many other books illustrated by Liz Murphy.

You could use My forever Dress as a focus for Earth Day or any unit of work on the environment. Here are some other books about recycling clothing.