Coat of Many Colors

August 29, 1994
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.

September 15, 2016
A patchwork coat created from a box of donated rags is a deeply felt memory from the author's childhood.The incident evidently had a profound effect, as it led to a song, written in 1971, and a TV movie in 2015. Here, the text is made up entirely of the song's lyrics. Parton recalls when she had "patches on her britches" and no warm coat. Her mother lovingly creates a patchwork coat while retelling the Bible story of Joseph and his coat of many colors. The little blonde, white girl gratefully and proudly heads off for school, where she is met with jeers and derision. She tries to explain the love and sense of richness she feels, to no avail. Boynton-Hughes' brightly hued pen-and-ink-and-watercolor illustrations follow the action carefully but are a bit too pretty to convey poverty. The home seems warm and comfortable if old-fashioned, and the other children in the family don't have patched clothing. There are brown-skinned and white schoolchildren all taking part in the event; this may appeal to modern readers, but it doesn't ring true for early-1950s rural Tennessee, where school segregation was statutory. In an author's note Parton exhorts young readers, bullies and victims alike, to have understanding hearts and find comfort in knowing that hurts can heal. Tender and heartfelt with a loving message--if a little sanitized. (Picture book. 4-8)

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January 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 2-Country singer/songwriter Parton has, with illustrator Boynton-Hughes, turned her famous song "Coat of Many Colors" into a delightful and evocative picture book. Dolly grew up in rural Tennessee, where love was plentiful but money was scarce. Her mother was given a box of fabric scraps, but with winter coming, Dolly needed a coat. So as the song relates, Dolly's mother pieced together the scraps and made her daughter a "coat of many colors." As she sewed, she told Dolly the Bible story of Joseph's coat of many colors. Of course, Dolly's schoolmates didn't see her coat as special, and they laughed and made fun of her. Parton tells readers that the hurt did not go away until, as an adult, she sat down and wrote this song. This title reminds children that bullying hurts and doesn't help anyone. Boynton-Hughes presents Dolly as a blonde, curly-haired moppet, so happy to be wearing her multihued coat. The bright fall colors give the book vibrancy. The illustrations also depict the love that was abundant in the Parton family. VERDICT A significant addition to both school and public libraries.-Elaine Lesh Morgan, formerly at Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 26, 1996
The country music legend's first hit song--about a penniless girl whose mother sews her a patchwork coat out of rags--makes an "appetizingly sweet" first picture book, said PW, noting that the "heartfelt verses are imbued with the same genuine, infectiously likable spirit Parton herself projects." All ages.