PRESCHOOL
McCurry, Kristen

Patrick's Polka-Dot Tights

(2) PS Illustrated by MacKenzie Haley. Patrick loves his purple polka-dot tights. They provide extra warmth under snow pants, add flair to dress-up outfits, and make great teddy-bear lifesaving equipment. The only problem: technically, the tights belong to his sister, even though "Penelope didn’t care about the tights...most of the time." The cartoonlike illustrations, featuring an energetic boy with curly orange hair, amplify emotions in the child-centered text. "It wasn't fair," the narrator comments when Penelope takes back the tights to wear during her piano recital. The accompanying illustration shows a visibly displeased Patrick sitting amidst smiling, oblivious audience members, including his parents. "Disaster" strikes during a post-recital ice-cream outing (Penelope spills hot fudge on the tights), and Patrick's body language clearly conveys his dejected feelings. When his dad presents him with new tights--a three pack!--a double-page spread celebrates along with Patrick. Featuring realistic sibling dynamics and parents who model nonchalant support without editorializing, this book affirms kids' creative expression and imaginative play.

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