Coat of Many Colors [Hardcover]

Dolly Parton (Author), Judith Sutton (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1994 | Age Level: 3 and up

Dolly Parton's first book for children is based on her own childhood in the rolling Tennessee hills. When a little girl's mama makes her a coat out of rags, the other children at school laugh at her, but she soon learns that riches come in many forms. Judith Sutton's warm pictures bring the world of Dolly's childhood lovingly to life. Full color.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The rolling hills of Tennessee farmland, framed in lovely patchwork quilt patterns, set the stage for Dolly Parton's (of Grand Ol' Opry fame) warm childhood memories. The text comes directly from Parton's autobiographical hit country and western song of the same name. Perhaps the grammar is imperfect, but what C&W song ain't rife with grammatical errors--it's part of the vernacular. The story centers on a poor, but happy and loving, family (yes, they do exist) who find clever ways to deal with their poverty. As winter approaches, Mama sews a coat for her daughter from a box of scraps that someone has given her. Of course her classmates make fun of her for having a coat made of rags. But sticks and stones... "And although we had no money / I was rich as I could be / in my coat of many colors / that Mama made for me." That doesn't mean the child's feelings aren't hurt, or that she didn't feel angry. But the message comes through loud and clear (like Parton's voice): the child's mother has provided her with the strength to deal with other children's jeers, and family love can sometimes be enough to pull a person through.

From Publishers Weekly

The country legend turns the lyrics of her first hit song into an appetizingly sweet first foray into picture books. Based on an incident from Parton's childhood--she grew up penniless in the Tennessee hills--the story tells of a girl whose mother makes her a patchwork coat out of rags. Even when her schoolmates make fun of it, the girl treasures the coat because of "the love that mama sewed in every stitch." The heartfelt verses are imbued with the same genuine, infectiously likable spirit Parton herself projects, and the book easily transcends its literary shortcomings (chiefly, an occasional rough cadence that may be easy to smooth over musically but is likely to cause stumbling when read aloud). The flaws are minor, however, and, like a homemade quilt with a few awkward stitches, only serve to enhance the book's charm. Sutton brings a soft touch; although her patchwork-bordered watercolors tend to sentimentalize the grinding poverty of Appalachia, they nevertheless evoke the generosity and spirit of the close-knit family Parton celebrates. "One is only poor, if they choose to be," writes Parton--an ungrammatical country cliche perhaps, but wisdom worth sharing. All ages.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins Childrens Books; 1st edition (1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006023413X
• ISBN-13: 978-0060234133
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,864,710 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Annie Bananie, April 26, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Coat of Many Colors (Paperback)

I love this story because it teaches me friendship because it

shows caring.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than Expected, February 8, 2008

By 

Jodi Renshaw (Corinna, ME United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Coat of Many Colors (Paperback)

My Mother-in-Law was an avid quilter and collector of children's books that had anything to do with quilting and sewing. When she passed away, I inherited this book. Upon receipt of it, I took one look at it and tossed it aside, believing that... because it was written by Dolly Parton ... it would be overly sentimental, sappy and irrelevant. I just haven't found that big-name celebrities make for great children's book authors.

BUT, I was wrong. Though this book simply follows the lyrics of one of her songs, it is so well spoken in book form ... and is abridged perfectly. The illustrator puts lovely, subtle, yet powerful images to the lyrics as well.

The message is much less didactic than I assumed it to be. And the story basically shows how one little girl felt immense gratitude for what little she had in life (compared to her peers) because what she did have was enough ... and her life was filled with love. This humble little girl receives some teasing for a "coat of many colors" that her Mama made of scrap fabrics ... but the way the girl handles the teasing is wonderful ... because she is secure with who she is and what she has ... thanks to her Mama's teaching.

This is a book that I now share with my 3 year old son. Though we are not "lacking" financially ... I am always making him his clothes & toys, etc. so that he appreciates handiwork and the love that goes into creating things for others. Plastic toys are a dime a dozen ... but a "Coat of many Colors" is a treasure forever. This book is a wonderful way for me to keep exhibiting that idea.

I would say that the target age for this book is 3-7 years old.
Enjoy!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great bedtime book, April 13, 2007

By 

M. Killian "Hairdomama" (Omaha NE) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Coat of Many Colors (Paperback)

I am a huge Dolly Parton fan and I had to buy this book for my little girl. It is a great book for beginning readers and it has a nice message about being different.