Do I Have to Wear a Coat?

by Rachel Isadora, Rachel Isadora (Illustrator)

Overview

Caldecott Honor winner Rachel Isadora celebrates each of the four seasons with a diverse cast of endearing kids

All four seasons are full of wonderful things that make them fun and special, and the children in this delightful book share some of the highlights (and some pretty nifty clothes)! Spring brings berries, baby animals, cool showers—and raincoats. Summer brings warm breezes, the best beach weather—and no more coats! In the fall, we play in the leaves and pumpkin patches—and wrap up in cozy sweaters. And winter brings ice skating and all kinds of snowy outdoor fun—but we need to bundle up in our heaviest coats! In a style reminiscent of her popular My Dog Laughs and I Hear a Pickle, Rachel Isadora's charming vignettes are packed with details that young children will want to pour over.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780525516606
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	03/03/2020
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	496,391
Product dimensions:	9.60(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD420L (what's this?)
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

Rachel Isadora received a Caldecott Honor for Ben's Trumpet, and has written and illustrated numerous other books for children, including several classic tales set in Africa (such as Old Mikamba Had a Farm and The Princess and the Pea), My Dog Laughs, I Just Want to Say Good Night, I Hear a Pickle, Bea in the Nutcracker, Bea at Ballet, Jake at Gymnastics, Say Hello!, Peekaboo Morning, and the Lili at Ballet series. She lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

This pleasant picture book highlights activities that children enjoy as the seasons cycle through the year. . . . Isadora’s illustrations, rendered in fine ink lines with bright watercolor washes, have a fresh, airy quality and a cheerful tone. A good book for starting discussions about the seasons and sharing with young children at any time of year.”—Booklist

“As children fling open their doors to run outside, the titular question comes to mind: ‘Do I have to wear a coat?’ . . . Various vignettes of diverse tots explore spring, summer, fall, and winter. . . . Isadora explores the seasons not only through outerwear, but also activities that are intimate and familiar to those who experience these seasons. . . . Children will feel each season deeply, with or without their coats! A fresh perspective on a cyclical topic.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Isadora walks youngsters through each season, repeating the lively vignette-sequence format employed in her I Hear a Pickle. . . . [Readers] will also be tickled by the bits of dialogue in many vignettes. . . . Friendly line and watercolor art features a multiracial and multiabled batch of kids and a generous sprinkling of loyal little pups; there’s the occasional parental guest appearance, but mostly this is kids out and about in enticing scenarios that viewers will long to join.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Hosts a lovely cast of adorable children interacting in each season. . . . A solid primer to introduce the seasons.”—School Library Journal

“Isadora’s characteristic ink and watercolor art uses vignettes set against white backgrounds to show children joyfully experiencing the changing seasons. . . . Brief text and coordinating illustrations highlight the distinct natural elements and activities that each season brings.”—The Horn Book

From the Publisher

02/01/2020

PreS-Gr 1—Isadora's latest offering begins by listing all the seasons and then asking; "Do I have to wear a coat?" First up is spring and viewers learn that the weather is delightful, new farm babies are born, and it's a perfect time to play outside and smell the flowers. However, when it rains in the spring, out come the raincoats. Next comes summer, full of ice cream and camping outside and going to the beach; there is no mention of a coat. Fall and winter are covered in the final pages with scenes of all their beauty and multiple activities that they offer; here the text mentions wearing sweaters in the fall and the necessity for a coat in the winter. The book hosts a lovely cast of adorable children interacting in each season. Every other page has the four seasons listed on the top with the "featured" season in a larger font with a distinct color. VERDICT A solid primer to introduce the seasons, but not an essential purchase.—Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI

School Library Journal

2019-12-08
Seasonal changes—and outfit changes, too.

As children fling open their doors to run outside, the titular question comes to mind: "Do I have to wear a coat?" Laid out in a similar style to those in Isadora's previous musing on the senses, I Hear a Pickle (and Smell, See, Touch, and Taste It, Too!) (2016), various vignettes of diverse tots explore spring, summer, fall, and winter. Each season is opened with a picture of the same pigtailed white youngster and a dog looking at a tree. As the seasons change, readers see differences to the leaves and changes to the child's clothing. Spring brings flowers, baseball games, sidewalk chalk, and raincoats. Summer brings ice cream, fireflies, sand castles, and no coats at all! In the fall, sweaters are warm and cozy accompaniments for hayrides, jumping into leaf piles, and apple picking. Winter, the coat-iest season, brings snow angels, frosty air, steamy hot chocolate, and of course, bundles and bundles of coats! Isadora explores the seasons not only through outerwear, but also activities that are intimate and familiar to those who experience these seasons. Vignettes include racially diverse children; two kids in sports wheelchairs play tennis, and an amputee on crutches plays soccer. Children will feel each season deeply, with or without their coats!

A fresh perspective on a cyclical topic. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews