by Dolly Parton
First published 1996
Winter approaches Tennessee and money runs short in a little girl's household. Her mama cannot afford a store-bought coat, so she gathers fabric scraps and rags to sew a colorful patchwork coat for her daughter. The girl puts on her new coat with pride and heads to school. Her classmates see the mismatched patches and burst into laughter. They mock her homemade garment and point at the uneven pieces. The girl stands her ground. She speaks up to her tormentors and explains what real richness means. Her mama's love and care matter more than expensive clothes from a store. The coat represents warmth, creativity, and family devotion. Judith Sutton creates paintings that transform Dolly Parton's beloved song into visual storytelling. The girl's lesson resonates beyond the schoolyard, showing how true wealth comes from love rather than money.
Genres: family-life, american-fiction, 20th-century, childrens
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical
Tropes: found-family, underdog
Setting: Tennessee
Period: Winter
32 pages · Paperback · Harpercollins Childrens Books