Nila’s Perfect Coat by Norene Paulson, illustrated by Maria Mola; Beaming Books, 2023.

On a trip to the thrift store, Nila finds the perfect puffy coat, bright and colorful with an easy-glide zipper. She wants it, and she buys it with birthday money, even though her coat from last year still fits. What happens next is the crux of Nila’s Perfect Coat, an accessible story about needs and wants, and helping others through difficult times.   

Why this book? Why will it matter to kids?

Nila’s Perfect Coat offers young learners entry into the concept of giving to others in need. Here’s a main character who falls in love with a coat. It’s perfect! She doesn’t need it, but she decides to acquire it anyway. Kids will relate to those feelings. What they will take away from this story is awareness of others’ needs, the difference between wants and needs, and the concept of how and why giving to others is of value.

Illustration © Maria Mola

Levels and Layers of Learning

Grade level: 1-3

Social-Emotional Learning Themes

Acceptance, compassion, concern, connection, creativity, empathy, encouragement, empowerment, friendship, generosity of spirit, gratitude, helpfulness, hope,  inspiration, kindness, perseverance, persistence, perspective, resilience, resourcefulness, respect, responsible decision-making, relationship building, self-assurance, self-awareness, self-management, self-reliance, social awareness, tenacity, understanding

Content Area Connections: Social Studies, Community, ELA

Using This Book in the Classroom

Hit the Ground Running Ready Resources for Educators, Homeschoolers, and Parents

Educator’s Guide

Learn more about Norene and her books. 

Write Away! Ideas to prompt writing

Nila loves treasure hunting. If you were shopping in a thrift store, what would you hunt for?

Fold a sheet of paper in half lengthwise. Make a list of things you NEED on the left side of the sheet of paper. On the right side, make a list of things you WANT. Across the bottom of the paper, explain the difference between things you NEED and those you WANT.

Nila knows Lily is sad. How can she tell? How can you tell when classmates are happy, sad, not feeling well, proud, or shy? Explain, using details.

Is Nila a good friend? Use details from the story to support your opinion.

Illustration © Maria Mola

Poetry Break Related poetry to recite before or following the reading of this book

Poetry breaks fit perfectly into brief moments in the school day—from opening or closing exercises to lining up for lunch; from zipping up backpacks and jackets to transitioning from one subject to the next. Reading a poem typically takes less than a minute; yet, it can introduce or reinforce a concept, provide clarity, celebrate language, exemplify rhythm, enhance vocabulary, expand understanding of a concept, increase attention span, initiate reflection, spark imagination, or simply summon a giggle. And, poetry soothes and strengthens the spirit.

The following poetry book offers a collection of poems on the theme of kindness toward others:

•  Lend a Hand by John Frank, illustrated by London Ladd

Also,

• “Favorite” is a poem that offers a fun look at a favorite coat; written by George Ella Lyon and included in A Foot in the Mouth: Poems to Speak, Sing, and Shout selected by Paul B. Janeczko, illustrated by Chris Raschka.

And Then There’s This…
Enrichment activities, related books, online resources, craft projects, and ideas for further study

Consult the back matter of Nila’s Perfect Coat for practical ways kids can help other kids stay warm. Included is a step-by-step guide.

A featured charity is One Warm Coat, a nonprofit organization that provides free coats to children and adults in need while “promoting volunteerism and environmental sustainability.” Visit the website to learn more about how you can donate coats, plan a fund raiser, or hold a coat drive.

Share with students One Warm Coat’s 30th Anniversary video.

Cut out patterns of coats. Have students decorate them. Attach captions below each, in which students write about an important need they would like to help someone with, and how they might go about doing so.

Related Books of Interest:

Saturday at the Food Pantry by Diane O’Neill, illustrated by Brizida Magro; a simple but sensitive story about two classmates whose families visit the food pantry, and how each of them perceives the experience and impacts others waiting in line, and each other.

Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts, illustrated by Noah Z. Jones. In this story that explores needs versus wants, young Jeremy comes to understand that a loving caregiver, sturdy boots, and a true friend have value that far outlast fads. Educator Guide by Judy.

What is Given from the Heart by Patricia McKissack, illustrated by April Harrison; even though they themselves have needs, a boy and his mom find ways to give to others; a heartwarming story with a sweet and satisfying ending.

Other books on Beaming Books list that empower girls to be brave and bold

Meet the Author

Norene Paulson

Norene Paulson is a word-loving, book-reading, story-writing kid lit author. Growing up in South Dakota, Norene spent long hours exploring the frontier with Laura Ingalls Wilder and solving mysteries with Nancy Drew. Now grown up and living in Iowa, Norene, a former middle school language arts teacher, writes picture books that celebrate friendship, acceptance, and inclusion. She is the author of Benny’s True Colors, illustrated by Anne Passchier, What’s Silly Hair Day with No Hair? illustrated by Camila Carrossine (see Children’s Book Corner blog post), and her latest, Nila’s Perfect Coat, illustrated by Maria Mola.

Backstory: Q & A with Norene Paulson

I first featured Norene on Children’s Book Corner in September 2021, when her picture book centering on childhood alopecia, What’s Silly Hair Day with No Hair? was published. I was struck by her down-to-earth manner, her interest in writing books that celebrate inclusion and kindness, and her distinctive topics of choice. It is my pleasure to welcome Norene back to Children’s Book Corner with her latest picture book!

Judy Bradbury: Tell us how you became interested in writing a children’s picture book about the power of giving to others centered on thrift store shopping.

Norene Paulson: The power of giving found in Nila’s story comes from understanding that what one person may no longer want another might desperately need. My entire life I have been fortunate to have more than I need, but when teaching I saw many students and their families who did not. Pairing that observation with my strong advocacy of sustainable shopping to help keep textiles out of landfills, it was a natural fit to write a story that weaved kindness and empathy with rehoming clothes by shopping at thrift stores.

JB: Tell about one hurdle you experienced in the creation of Nila’s Perfect Coat, or provide a memorable (or humorous!) anecdote related to the writing of the book.

NP: The back matter of Nila’s Perfect Coat was the one hurdle I experienced. The original back matter was about environmentally sustainable ways to manage textiles that were no longer wanted or needed and briefly mentioned clothing/coat drives as one option. However, after Beaming Books acquired the book, my editor gave a thumbs down to the back matter. Too broad and disconnected from the story’s theme, she said, so I rewrote the entire back matter in less than a week.

JB: What would surprise readers to learn about you or about the writing of Nila’s Perfect Coat?

NP: I am passionate about the benefits of thrift store shopping…easy on the pocket book and good for the environment. Readers might be surprised to learn that probably 90% of the clothes I wear come from thrift stores. As Nila’s mom said, “You never know what treasures you’ll find if you dig long enough” and that’s what’s fun about it.

JB: What is the question your story considers, or what do you hope readers will take away from Nila’s Perfect Coat?

NP: The question Nila’s Perfect Coat asks readers to consider is, When is enough enough?

How many of anything do you NEED? We live in a world of excess, and I hope Nila’s act of kindness reminds readers to look beyond what they WANT next and look to how they can help others get what they NEED now.

JB: How do you see Nila’s Perfect Coat connecting to curriculum or being used in schools or community programs?

NP: Nila’s Perfect Coat is an SEL (social-emotional learning) story that could be used to spark discussions about empathy, compassion, kindness, caring, citizenship, and most definitely the difference between wants and needs.

I also see the story and its call-to-action back matter being a springboard for the implementation of community service projects. Kids can make a difference. See an issue…be part of the solution.

JB: In the back matter, you provide a variety of ways that children can help other children keep warm by donating coats. You zero in on the national organization, One Warm Coat. Tell us about this organization and how you became involved in their mission.  

NP: I briefly included the nonprofit and their website link in my original back matter about  environmentally sustainable options for textile recycling. When my editor suggested the back matter was too broad and needed to be tightened, I honed in on One Warm Coat because it seemed like a good fit. The more I researched the nonprofit the more I realized its mission complemented the story perfectly. I actually connected with the president and vice-president when I tagged the organization in one of my first social media posts about the book. Not long after, I received a reply from Patti, the vice president of the organization, thanking me for the tag and wanting to learn more about my book. My publicist sent an ARC and then the four of us held a Zoom call and brainstormed ways we could promote both the book and the nonprofit.

One Warm Coat board member Ryan Frederiksen and Norene Paulson pose with coats donated at the launch event of Nila’s Perfect Coat at Beaverdale Books in Des Moines, Iowa on February 8, 2023. (Courtesy Beaverdale Books)

JB: What is one question you wish I had asked, and what is your answer?

NP: I wish you had asked about the illustrations. Maria Mola illustrated our book, and she did an amazing job. As a writer, handing my words over to someone who then brings them to life is such a humbling experience. I fell in love with Nila the minute I saw her cute freckles and big brown eyes. Oh, and what Maria conveys about the characters’ emotions through their facial expressions is pure magic. One of my favorite spreads is when Lily is getting on the bus. No words are needed to explain how sad Lily’s feeling because Maria wrapped her in sadness…the downcast eyes and the slumped shoulders is all the reader needs to understand how Lily feels. Also, when Nila is eating dinner with Mom, her concern for Lily is clearly visible in her expression. I’m so grateful Maria agreed to be the “picture” part of this picture book.

JB: What project are you currently working on?

NP: I have a few ideas swirling around in my head but nothing ready for first drafting, at least not yet. I do have one manuscript out on submission so keeping my fingers crossed it will find a home and another completed manuscript that needs to be sent to my critique partners.

Meet the Illustrator

Learn more about Maria Mola and find her on Instagram.    

Sidebar Spotlight New releases of note

Each month I receive several boxes of books to review from various publishers. As I read and peruse the books, I place them in two piles: those that I will consider featuring on the blog, and those that don’t fit the mission or theme of Children’s Book Corner blog for whatever reason. I highlight some of the books in the “possible” pile on Mondays (most weeks) on Instagram. Ultimately, I choose the one new release I will feature on my monthly blog post. Yet there are many terrific books I wish I could give a shout-out to, even if I can’t write an entire post about each one. So, Sidebar Spotlight is a means of giving a nod to new releases that, in my opinion, are noteworthy. I’ve linked each title to Bookshop so you can learn more. Happy reading, friends! And feel free to comment on these or other new books below.

I Did It! by Michael Emberley; delightful, comical, spot-on “I Like to Read Comics” book for beginning readers that is sure to spark a love of books as it supports very early reading skills; 2023 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. See also, Let’s Go! featuring the same cast of characters.

The Last Plastic Straw: A Plastic Problem and Finding Ways to Fix It by Dee Romito, illustrated by Ziyue Chen; an informational picture book that offers the history of plastic in an interesting, clear way and suggests solutions to the growing problem; ideal for middle elementary grades; a perfect complement to Cayuga Island Kids, Book 2, The Adventure of the Big Fish by the Small Creek.

Moon’s Ramadan by Natasha Khan Kazi; accessible to primary grade children, this debut picture book offers a joyful, accessible explanation of Ramadan for primary learners. Told from the point of view of the moon, it chronicles activities across the globe throughout the month-long celebration of peace, love, and kindness.

wallflowers by Mackenzie Joy; an affirming book aimed at kids who are quiet, shy, introverted. In this simple, sweet book, they are seen and celebrated. Hooray!

News, Updates, & Items of Interest

It’s School Visit season, and I have been enjoying spending time with children who are curious about my characters and excited about reading and writing. Contact me for school visit information.

Read-aloud of a portion of Cayuga Island Kids Book 2, The Adventure of the Big Fish by the Small Creek

Readers Theater, complete with props! 

Find where my books and I will be on my Events page.

If you read and like a book, consider posting a review on GoodReads or on Amazon (if you bought it there). Authors and illustrators appreciate the shout-out. Even a one-sentence comment increases visibility of a book. Also consider placing a request with your local library to purchase a copy!

The 2023 Golden Kite Awards were announced at the SCBWI Virtual Gala on February 24. Find interviews on the Children’s Book Corner blog for winners, Stacy McAnulty, who won in the nonfiction text for younger readers category for Our Planet! There’s No Place Like Earth, illustrated by David Litchfieldand and also received an honor for nonfiction text for older readers for Save the People!: Halting Human Extinction, illustrated by Nicole Miles; and Tara Lazar, whom I featured with her award-winner in the nonfiction text for older readers category, Absurd Words: A Kid’s Fun and Hilarious Vocabulary Builder for Future Word Nerds.

This year’s Children’s Book Week Poster has been revealed!

The celebratory poster is illustrated by Australian-born illustrator Rilla Alexander. Learn more about the artist’s inspiration for the design. The poster and accompanying activities can be viewed here. Dates of Children’s Book Week 2023 are May 1–7 and November 6–12.

Libraries, schools, and homes may participate in Book Week and may request two free posters, Registration is currently underway online. Bookmarks become available in early March and will feature activities designed by K. O’Neill, Alfreda Beartrack-Algeo, Briana Mukodiri Uchendu, Lian Cho, and Jey Odin.

The Niagara Frontier Reading Council is host to a two-evening virtual event on the topic of censorship of children’s books. Though you’ve missed the first evening consisting of a discussion of the book You Can’t Say That! Writers for Young People Talk About Censorship, Free Expression, and the Stories They Have to Tell compiled and edited by Leonard S. Marcus; on March 21, Leonard will offer a visual presentation and there’s still time to register. Find more information here, and click to register here. NFRC and NYSRA members attend free. If you live outside New York State but would like to attend, and you are a subscriber to this blog, contact me for a special code to receive a discount to attend this virtual event.

Over to You…

Join the conversation! Offer your thoughts on the featured question related to this month’s post:

Share an outreach experience suitable for children.

You are also welcome to post a general comment.

Thanks for sharing!

Final Thought