The Purple Coat

by Amy Hest, Amy Schwartz (Illustrator)

Despite her mother's reminder that "navy blue is what you always get," Gabby begs her tailor grandfather to make her a beautiful purple fall coat.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Amy Hest is a three-time winner of the Christopher Medal and winner of the BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. She lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Celebrilomiel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was published in the 1980s, and now, forty years later, the contemporary illustrations have developed historical value. The clothes, the people going about their daily business, the subway, the complete lack of cellphones... I found all that just as interesting as the narrative itself. It's all incidental, just background texture to the illustrations, but it is a snapshot of a time and lifestyle that is no more.

[Todd Stansbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must we always be happy with the things that made us happy in the past? Or can we try new things and find out that they might make us happy as well? A young girl, on the way to get her new winter coat made by her grandfather, wants nothing less than a purple coat with a hood, and a vent in the back so that she can run. Her mom wants her to have the navy blue coat the she gets every year. Must she always have everything exactly the same, or is there room for change in the world?

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's time for Gabrielle to get a new coat, like she does every fall, a navy blue with two rows of buttons and a half belt in the back. But his year to her mother's and grandfather's surprise, Gabrielle wants a purple coat with purple buttons, a big pocket on the side, and a hood, and pleat in the back. Will Gabrielle be able to convince both her mom and grandad, that it's time for her to try somethin new?

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A girl who knows what she wants and is determined to get it. I love it. So does Alissa.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite Reading Rainbow books

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s time for a little girl’s new winter coat. Her grandfather, the tailor, makes her a navy-blue coat every year but this year she wants a purple one. Good for second to fourth graders.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book with pretty illustrations about compromise.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an adorable story about a little girl 'reminding' her mother in a sweet way of when she was a little girl and wanted something really bad. The little girl knows it is that time of year when she goes to her grandpa (who is a tailor) to get her yearly coat made. She always gets a navy coat but this year she wants something else... but her mother says that "you always get..." After she spends time with her Grandpa telling him what she would like he asks about what her mother thought... then he tells her about when her mama was little and wanted a very outrageous dress. So sometimes 'what you always get' doesn't have to always be. I enjoyed reading this "Reading Rainbow" book to my 3 year old granddaughter and she enjoyed sitting watching the illustrations and listening.

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Purple Coat by Amy Hest
ISBN-10: 0689716346
Gabrielle travels to the city to visit with her grandfather while her mom works. He is a tailor and makes her coats every year, a blue one always.
They have lunch and get exactly what they always have. They try to pursuade her to just try something different.
She tells him she wants a purple coat rather than a blue one, to just try something new and different.
It reminds the grandfather of an orange dress the mom wanted with ruffles. He has a fantastic idea about having a blue coat that goes with everything and a purple coat as well.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabi always gets a navy blue coat for winter, and her grandfather makes it. But this year she wants a purple coat, and her mother is shocked - it's so different from what she usually gets!

With the Power of Childhood Stories (somebody once wanted a tangerine dress...) her mother is convinced, and Gabi gets her coat.

It's a good story, well-written and well-illustrated. A little long for the subject, but it works. I'm just not overly drawn to it.

[Jammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really, really love this book. I had a teacher read this to me when I was in kindergarten, which was longer ago than I would like; yet I still remembered this book years later. Now I own a bookshop of my own and I always keep a few copies in stock. It's a really sweet and timeless story about a girl's relationship with her grandfather, and her early steps into learning to be her own person. Sweet, simple and fun! Appropriate for either gender.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gabrielle's grandpa is a tailor and it's time for Gabby to visit him so she can get her yearly navy blue coat. This year is different because Gabby wants a purple coat. Her grandpa teaches her that "once in a while, it's good to try something new" but will her mother be happy with what Gabby and her Grandpa come up with?

For more books with a quilting/sewing theme see:http://xoxograndma.blogspot.com/2015/...

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main character, Gabrielle, spends the day with her grandfather, a tailor who makes her winter coat each year. The thing is, she wants a different color coat this year and that news is not received well by her mother. It takes the wisdom of her grandfather to convince her mother to compromise and for Gabrielle to get the coat she wants.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a little girl who goes to visit her grandpa who is a tailor. Every year he makes her a blue coat but this year she decides she wants a purple coat.

It’s a very cute book that could have applications in learning to try new things and having change. It could also be great to look at the illustrations and importance of color.

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this one! So simple and sweet, but really, really cute, too. Julie recommended this one for my grandparent-theme Book Time, and I think it will be perfect. Let's just hope I have older kids in the group, as the story is a bit long for the pre-school age.

[Alex Bemis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book to my 4th and 5th graders at work and they loved it. I think this would be a great book to use in a readers workshop. There are many different minilessons you could create out of this book

[RLL52014Jamie Cotell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful read aloud book for primary students! This book is perfect for all mothers and daughters who cannot agree. It is about a girl who is trying to establish her identity and wants a purple coat instead of a blue one. Read to find out what happens!

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second grade +.

"Despite her mother's reminder that 'navy blue is what you always get,' Gabby begs her tailor grandfather to make her a beautiful purple fall coat."

A wonderful story about trying new things. Fantastic pictures.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Sweet Story. Gabby begs her tailor grandfather to make her a beautiful purple coat. THe Illustrations and rendered in pencil and watercolor. Very colorful & bright.

[Cws]

JERR-Hes it's great sometimes to try something new

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the imagery in this story, but it was a bit drawn out for our tastes.

[The Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl going to have her yearly coat made by her grandfather tries to get away from what she's always done and try something new.

Illustrations are nice.