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Jacob's New Dress Hardcover Hardcover – Picture Book, March 1, 2014

by Sarah Hoffman (Author), Ian Hoffman (Author), Chris Case (Illustrator)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 414 ratings
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Jacob loves playing dress-up, when he can be anything he wants to be. Some kids at school say he can't wear "girl" clothes, but Jacob wants to wear a dress to school. Can he convince his parents to let him wear what he wants? This heartwarming story speaks to the unique challenges faced by children who don’t identify with traditional gender roles.

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  1. Reading age
    3 - 8 years, from customers
  2. Print length
    32 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - 3
  5. Lexile measure
    AD540L
  6. Dimensions
    8 x 0.4 x 10 inches
  7. Publisher
    Albert Whitman & Company
  8. Publication date
    March 1, 2014
  9. ISBN-10
    0807563730
  10. ISBN-13
    978-0807563731
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2—Jacob likes to play dress up with his friend Emily, but he prefers to pretend that he is a princess rather than a knight, firefighter, or policeman. The boys in his class tease him and wonder why he wears dresses. His teacher explains that "Jacob wears what he's comfortable in. Just like you do. Not very long ago little girls couldn't wear pants. Can you imagine that?" Jacob returns home from school to tell his mother that one of his classmates says that boys can't wear dresses. His parents support him as he makes his own dress with his mother's help, and she shares with him that "there are all sorts of ways to be a boy." An author's note explains how parents, educators, and counselors can make a difference in the lives of gender-nonconforming children. The warm cartoon illustrations convey the mood well and offer readers visual clues to the cruelty, teasing, and struggle with self-acceptance that can occur when children are different from their peers. Purchase this one to encourage discussions of gender, identity, and self-confidence.—Melissa Smith, Royal Oak Public Library, MI

From Booklist

Jacob wants to wear a dress to school, so he fashions one from a towel—a “dress-thing.” His mother tells him to add some shorts and a shirt, and off he goes to school, where he is teased by a fellow student, Christopher, who pulls the towel off and waves it “like a captured flag.” That evening, a tearful Jacob asks his mother to help him make a real dress, and after some thought, she agrees. Jacob’s father adds, “Well, it’s not what I would wear, but you look great.” At school, there’s more teasing, but Jacob finally tells Christopher, “I made this dress, I’m proud of it, and I’m going to wear it!” And so he does. In an afterword, the coauthors explain that Jacob is a “gender nonconforming” boy and that gender expression is inborn—not something we choose. The authors’ gentle but necessarily didactic story succeeds in dramatizing this concept. Case’s softly colored cartoonlike illustrations nicely expand the spirit of this important book, which—one hopes—will provide reassurance to children like Jacob and inspire thoughtful discussion. Grades K-3. --Michael Cart

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Albert Whitman & Company; 1st edition (March 1, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0807563730
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0807563731
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 3 - 8 years, from customers
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD540L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 0.4 x 10 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 414 ratings

About the author

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Ian Hoffman

Ian Hoffman

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
414 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book wonderful and great for helping kids understand that they're perfect the way they are. They also say the storyline is sweet, has a good message, and is fun to read. Readers also appreciate the colorful and joyful illustrations.

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ReadershipStorylineReadabilityWriting styleReading level
18 customers mention "Readership"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the book wonderful, inclusive, and educational. They also say it's a great tool for encouraging kids to embrace their uniqueness.

"...with transgender folks and their families, this is a great read for transgender children, their siblings, parents, grandparents, teachers, peers...." Read more

"Very very sweet book! Even the bully in it is treated nicely. I highly recommend it...." Read more

"This is such a great book. I bought it a year or two ago because one of my boys likes "girl" clothes (his words, not mine)...." Read more

"Great product!" Read more

16 customers mention "Storyline"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the storyline sweet, inspiring, and authentic. They also say it's thoughtful, touching, and entertaining. Readers also mention the book teaches compassion for someone who thinks differently.

"...I highly recommend it. It teaches compassion for someone who thinks differently (even the bully)." Read more

"...The authors tell the story in a way that is both heart-stoppingly real..." Read more

"...I'm so thankful to see such a positive, warm story that my little dude could see himself in so clearly. Because cool as Disney princes are?..." Read more

"...The artwork is nice and colorful as well. I love how the story isn't idealistic or perfect-there's bullies and Jacob's parents seem to struggle with..." Read more

8 customers mention "Readability"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book smart, sweet, and fun to read.

"I like this book. It was very fun. I like how Jacob stood up to Christopher...." Read more

"Cute book with a good general message" Read more

"This is a thoughtful, touching, and entertaining book about a boy who likes to wear dresses; but it’s also about but much more...." Read more

"...the book send a great message, but it's also very well written and fun to read!" Read more

6 customers mention "Writing style"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style colorful, joyful, and subtle. They also appreciate the appreciation of life's nuances.

"...The illustrations are colorful and joyful, like Jacob himself...." Read more

"The thing I really love about this book is its subtlety and appreciation of life's nuances...." Read more

"...It's got a very supportive and refreshing storyline! The artwork is nice and colorful as well...." Read more

"...They beautifully capture the angst of a kid whose inner longings don’t match society’s expectations as well as the angst of parents confronted with..." Read more

5 customers mention "Reading level"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the reading level of the book to be appropriate for all readers, especially parents, educators, and the community. They also say the book is beautifully written and illustrated.

"...She really enjoyed it. Highly recommend. Easy to read for kids that already know how to read and easy to read along for kids that are learning." Read more

"...Not only does the book send a great message, but it's also very well written and fun to read!" Read more

"...It is beautifully written and the illustrations are terrific. Kudos to Sarah and Ian Hoffman!" Read more

"I love this book! Jacob's New Dress is a beautifully written and illustrated affirmation of gender nonconforming kids." Read more

Let's Confuse Kids
1 out of 5 stars
Let's Confuse Kids
Jacob's New Dress is a short picture book of twenty-nine colorful pages aimed directly at very young children. The title gives away much of the story. The protagonist, Jacob, is a little boy who enjoys playing dress-up. However, when he plays he enjoys being a princess. For Halloween, he dressed as a witch. He even made a simple dress using a towel. Many of the LGBTQ children’s books that I review contain graphic sexual content or images. This book does not have that but is it appropriate for a public or school library?When the boy wants to go to school in his towel dress, the mother simply says, “Put on some shorts and a shirt under that dress-thing.” Throughout the book, the mother is very supportive of her son’s clothing choices and never attempts to steer him in another direction. She even helps make a dress for him to wear and says, “There are all sorts of ways to be a boy.” The father is seen on only two pages of the book and says little.At the back of the book the authors say, “When our son, Sam, was a preschooler he had long hair, wore dresses, and loved the color pink.” They conclude the book by stating, “Jacob’s New Dress was born of our commitment to help parents, families, teachers, and physicians stand behind all the differently gendered little people in their lives.” But this book isn’t a resource for adults. It’s aimed at children. I’m perfectly willing to accept that children might be confused about their gender identity, but that is a topic for parents to have with their children.In my opinion, the authors are attempting to normalize gender-nonconformity in children. That is not a goal for teachers, public schools, or taxpayer-supported libraries. Instead of this picture book, parents need real, non-biased, practical resources.
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Top reviews from the United States

ANNE R HARRIS
5.0 out of 5 stars This is an improtant read for all, especialy parents, educators, community leaders.
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2015
Verified Purchase
As a transgender adult who is also a clinical professional who works with transgender folks and their families, this is a great read for transgender children, their siblings, parents, grandparents, teachers, peers. The day I received the book my 7 year old granddaughter was with me and we cracked the book together and she read it to me hesitating only briefly when she came upon the word Transgender. That's when she finally had a word she read for herself that helped her understand her transgendered grandmother even more. She's known about my "difference" since she was three. Now as a second grader she'll have a story to explain not and support her peers who have begun to express gender identity variance. Thank you so much Hoffman family and friends for writing such a clear story!! Though I'm over 65 now, I knew about my gender dysphoria since I was Jacob's age. Though my transition and support for same was absent until my mid-forties. This book is one of the efforts by the wide GLBTI community to start taking down the bricks the binary gender wall that separates. All of us are gifts to the world. Children need to learn this early so their minds have a shining light to go about their goodness and true natures; to lift their future to new levels of beauty, love, and creativity. Please buy an extra copy for your local public library.
9 people found this helpful
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Timothy R.
5.0 out of 5 stars Such a sweet book
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2023
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Very very sweet book! Even the bully in it is treated nicely. I highly recommend it. It teaches compassion for someone who thinks differently (even the bully).
One person found this helpful
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MYShioda
5.0 out of 5 stars An illustrated book not only for children, but adults
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2024
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Though this may be an illustrated book for children, I think parents can also gain insight in reading this book.
One person found this helpful
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ECrane
5.0 out of 5 stars Much more than a "message" book
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2014
Verified Purchase
I love Jacob and his new dress.

It's tough to be the kid in the group who doesn't toe the line in some way. For Jacob, it's his desire to wear a dress. Thank goodness he is surrounded by loving and thoughtful adults who carefully allow him to express himself and help him find the strength to say (in essence) to his detractors, "I am myself and proud of it."

The authors tell the story in a way that is both heart-stoppingly real (how Jacob finds it hard to breathe when he is waiting for his parents' reactions) and aspirational (that Jacob is so effortlessly happy so quickly can only happen in books). The illustrations are colorful and joyful, like Jacob himself.

Best of all, Sarah and Ian Hoffman have turned a seemingly single-issue book into a series of universal truths: love and support who your kids are, help people be their best selves, there are lots of ways to be a boy/girl/person, embrace diversity, be fearless in yourself -- the empowerment message goes on and on, but it's so gently and lovingly administered, the reader drinks it in without resistance. Delicious.
13 people found this helpful
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Elizabeth H. Rowell
5.0 out of 5 stars Three cheers for Emily who is Jacob's supportive friend (please edit this******)
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2017
Verified Purchase
Jacob is fortunate as he has a good friend at school, Emily. They dress up together each day and Emily even speaks up to Christopher when he makes fun of Jacob for wearing girls' clothes in the dress up corner which of course upsets Jacob whose teacher suggests he might want to imagine being a firefighter or policeman. Emily also complements Jacob on the dress-thing he made which he wears to school and says she wants one like it. When Christopher yanks off Jacob's dress thing, Emily says Christopher is mean and makes a face at him. When the next day Jacob wears the purple dress he helped his mother make to school, Emily found purple clothes in the dress up area and they played on the monkey bars together.Later she runs after Jacob during a game of tag. This book could help children realize how important it is to have a friend and to be one. This book and Michael and Me by Margret Baker Street could be shared with young children so*** they**** may learn about children who are gender creative and/or transgender and why it is so important that they be understanding of and friends to them. Unfortunately, many gender creative and transgender children do not have friends like Emily.
10 people found this helpful
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Jen S.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for helping my kid understand that he's perfect the way he is.
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2017
Verified Purchase
My son is 6, he likes to dress up as various animals, a pirate, a ninja, and sometimes he wears his sister's old dresses. We don't care if he's following a different path and we'd like to support him as best we can in becoming a moral and upright citizen however that path takes him. After an incident where he was questioned and laughed at in school, we bought this book to help reinforce what we've told our kids, that clothes do not define gender and it's ok to dress as he wants as long as it's clean and covers the appropriate bits. The younger kids appreciated this book, and the boy in question liked that Jacob liked to wear dresses like he does.

Thankfully, the school principal was dismayed to hear about the incident and we feel that it will be handled appropriately as a teaching moment). But to further help educate other student on tolerance and acceptance, I've also offered to purchase this book for the school library as well as for the classroom libraries of each kindergarten and first grade teacher at the school. I'm hoping they'll take us up on the offer.
22 people found this helpful
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Karen M
1.0 out of 5 stars Not sure why anyone wants to write a book for ...
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2015
Verified Purchase
Not sure why anyone wants to write a book for 4-5 year olds discussing the possibility of being "transgender". God doesn't make any junk ... which means a boy is a boy and a girl is a girl. This book simply confuses the issue ... even one of the characters in the book is confused to the very end!
121 people found this helpful
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M. Rastegar
4.0 out of 5 stars I love the overall message of the book
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2016
Verified Purchase
I love the overall message of the book, but I wish books like this didn't have to have extensive descriptions of teasing of kids who are different. My son does not know anything about boys being bullied for wearing dresses (or their parents feeling uncomfortable about it), and I'd rather if he got the message that it's okay to wear dresses, without the message that you might be teased for it. I realize that there need to be books that address teasing and exclusion, but it seems that every single book that discusses gender-nonconformity in boys spends a lot of time talking about how boys get teased for it. This gives kids who may not have even thought about the issue before a really mixed message. This is not the message my son needs to hear now and so I edit those passages out, but it makes for a more stilted reading.
40 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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DANIELA SUCCO
5.0 out of 5 stars Must have
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 22, 2021
Verified Purchase
What a wonderful book! My 5yo child has gender identity issues and loves this book. He can see himself in Jacob and finally smiled knowing that he is not the only one who likes dresses...as Jacob does too!
3 people found this helpful
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Fredel Romano
4.0 out of 5 stars Me gustó mucho!
Reviewed in Mexico on October 16, 2016
Verified Purchase
Me gustó mucho. Sencillo, amigable para cualquier edad. Me encanta como hablan sobre el respeto y el no burlarse de nadie
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An honest personal opinion
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect book for any Pinkboys, Sallygirls, Feminine sons, whatever lable you use :) And those they love
Reviewed in Canada on June 11, 2016
Verified Purchase
I have a 'pink boy' (as the authors have coined 'the male equivalent of a tomboy' He plays mechanic and digs in the dirt and loves nothing more than Sissy's dresses, nail polish, and accessories galore. Jacob's New Dress is the PERFECT book for a boy like my son. It's a story about a little boy that likes to wear dresses and that's just part of who he is. You travel through a couple days with Jacob and really get a sense of both the internal and external struggles he has to deal with. I found this book to be so great because it really speaks to my son - sometimes people aren't accepting or open minded and sometimes they're mean, the adults in the book are very supportive of Jacob and at one point the teacher tells the main antagonist; Jacob dresses how he feels comfortable just like everybody else, and not all that long ago little girls couldn't wear pants and can you imagine that (to which I generally add and even before that EVERYONE wore dresses - historical fact, though not necessarily called dresses then) I also really love that Jacobs friend sticks up for him and at the end of the book he learns to stick up for himself. It's a great book to help your child not feel alone in their situation as well as a great discussion starter; or just an all round good book on it's own. Love it, would get a copy for the narrow minded people in my sons life if I thought it'd help, and if anyone's willing to try to understand but doesn't really 'get it' this book would help them identify with how a 'pink boy' feels and what they go through, whither or no they're willing/able to express it.
5 people found this helpful
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Genevieve Bolduc
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in Canada on August 14, 2018
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Perfect story for my son who loves dresses, playing with cars and climbing monkey bars
3 people found this helpful
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Amanda Charland
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect
Reviewed in Canada on May 12, 2019
Verified Purchase
Perfect for my little guy
2 people found this helpful
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