Coat of Many Colors

by Dolly Parton (Author) Brooke Boynton Hughes (Illustrator)

Coat of Many Colors
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Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
cms Common Sense Media Review

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.

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School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--Country singer/songwriter Parton has, with illustrator Boynton-Hughes, turned her famous song "Coat of Many Colors" into a delightful and evocative picture book. Dolly grew up in rural Tennessee, where love was plentiful but money was scarce. Her mother was given a box of fabric scraps, but with winter coming, Dolly needed a coat. So as the song relates, Dolly's mother pieced together the scraps and made her daughter a "coat of many colors." As she sewed, she told Dolly the Bible story of Joseph's coat of many colors. Of course, Dolly's schoolmates didn't see her coat as special, and they laughed and made fun of her. Parton tells readers that the hurt did not go away until, as an adult, she sat down and wrote this song. This title reminds children that bullying hurts and doesn't help anyone. Boynton-Hughes presents Dolly as a blonde, curly-haired moppet, so happy to be wearing her multihued coat. The bright fall colors give the book vibrancy. The illustrations also depict the love that was abundant in the Parton family. VERDICT A significant addition to both school and public libraries.--Elaine Lesh Morgan, formerly at Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton is an internationally renowned superstar who has contributed timeless classics to the world of music entertainment, including "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors," and the mega-hit "I Will Always Love You." She has garnered 7 Grammy Awards, 10 Country Music Association Awards, 5 Academy of Country Music Awards, 3 American Music Awards and is one of only five female artists to win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year Award. She has written over 3,000 songs and authored 4 books, including the inspirational Dream More (Putnam) and the children's book, I Am A Rainbow (Penguin).

Ms. Parton's Dollywood Company provides family entertainment and hospitality to 5 million guests per year at Dollywood, Splash Country, Dixie Stampede, Pirate's Voyage, Lumberjack Adventure, and the Dream More Resort.

In 1988, she began the Dollywood Foundation to inspire children in her home community to dream more, learn more, do more, and care more. Currently the foundation offers the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to communities across America, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Belize. The program works with local partners to give every preschool child a book each month from the time he or she is born until the child reaches kindergarten. Currently over 90 million books have been gifted to preschool children.

Brooke Boynton-Hughes grew up in Colorado, where she spent her time drawing and hiking with her family. She has a BFA in printmaking from Colorado State University and an MFA in figurative art from the New York Academy of Art. To see more of Brooke's work, please visit www.BrookeBoyntonHughes.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780451532374
Lexile Measure
520
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Grosset & Dunlap
Publication date
October 18, 2016
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039140 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
JUV039070 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Homelessness & Poverty
JUV048000 - Juvenile Fiction | Clothing & Dress
JUV039230 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Bullying
Library of Congress categories
Stories in rhyme
Clothing and dress
Mothers and daughters
Poor

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