This Caldecott Honor Book award winner emphasizes originality and believing in your decisions. The pages are filled to the edges with a cacophony of pastel colors, simple outlines, and intricate patterns curiously placed in the background and peripheral, keeping the pictures active and interesting. The sentences involve dialogue from members of Ella Sarah's family providing an opportunity to include tone and cadence variations for fun. Repetition of Ella Sarah's preferred outfit also helps keep your little one focused, while helping to teach some colors.

While reading, you can point to the pictures and name the color or the object aloud to begin teaching your child. They will soon want to do the pointing, and you can encourage them to repeat some words after you. You can also spend some time on the two page spread of Ella Sarah putting on her outfit, emphasizing how each article of clothing goes on. You can encourage creativity by asking your child what they would pick out on their own to wear.

When reading this book to my two-year-old friend Kyle, I found myself giggling at the subtle humor of the cat's expressions throughout the book. I had fun with Kyle, pointing at the different objects and colors while we named them together. He must have found the cat funny too, as he pointed it out in each page.

--Audra