From Publishers Weekly
Ketteman's (I Remember Papa) tale of a girl whose reluctant generosity is rewarded may be predictable, but it is still uplifting. Wynona's sixth-grade graduation is coming up, but money is tight. So when her friend Sarah offers her a hand-me-down, Wynona is grateful--until she sees Sarah's brand-new dress, which Sarah has brought to Wynona's mother, a seamstress, to hem. "I looked at the two dresses hanging together," says Wynona. "Somehow, the old one didn't seem so pretty anymore." Wynona turns sullen as she performs household chores and baby-sits her younger brothers, until her mother gives her money for the new dress Wynona has spied in a shop window. When one of her brother's breaks his wrist, Wynona sacrifices her dress money for the hospital bill. Ketteman credibly charts Wynona's growth, as she rises above self-centeredness into a sympathetic character. The author ably outlines both the friction and the underlying love between mother and daughter, while Whyte's expressive watercolor portraits add both softness and substance to the contemporary setting. Ages 5-up.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Gr 2-5-The struggles of a single mother who supports her three children by sewing and cleaning houses are poignantly portrayed in this picture book. Wynona loves pretty clothes and especially longs for a fancy white dress for her sixth-grade graduation, but the family's finances make purchasing such luxuries difficult. She fears she will have to settle for a hand-me-down dress from a friend rather than the gorgeous creation she has seen in a dress shop. When her mother surprises her a week before graduation with the money for a new dress, the girl is overcome by both elation and guilt. Her euphoria doesn't outlast the day, though, because her brother breaks his arm and, in a selfless act, she returns the money to help cover his medical expenses. Her mother, however, still manages to make graduation a special day in her own inimitable fashion-Mama's way. Gentle, realistic watercolor washes imbued with warm hues effectively convey the emotions of this loving family vignette. What might have been a saccharine story is instead a heartfelt depiction of single parenthood and a strong bond between a mother and daughter.-Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library,
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
