Picture Book Review – Nancy Bess Had a Dress
NANCY BESS HAD A DRESS
Written by Claire Annette Noland
Illustrated by Angela C. Hawkins
(Gnome Road Publishing; $18.99, Ages 4-8)
Nancy Bess Had a Dress, written by Claire Annette Noland and illustrated by Angela C. Hawkins, is a feel-good read-aloud that works on many levels. First, it’s historical fiction set in late 1930s rural America; second, it’s about watching your pennies when times are tough; and last but not least, it highlights a young girl’s ingenuity in repurposing a flour sack.
When Nancy and her mom go to buy a new sack of flour, Nancy chooses a pretty one decorated with daisies. During the Depression Era, flour sacks served multiple purposes for families. Of course, they held flour for baking. Once empty, flour sacks could be used to make household items and clothing. I love how Noland shows children exactly how this worked. I had heard about flour sack dresses but admit I knew very little else, so I appreciated being enlightened.
Handy with a sewing machine, Mama helps Nancy Bess make a dress. Nancy is delighted with how the dress looks and wears it everywhere. Readers will notice Hawkins’s sewing and patchwork motif throughout the story. I didn’t catch it all initially, but I was glad when I did upon further readings. I also think parents or teachers can point out the different things children did in the 1930s living out in the country. Try to spot the adorable mouse that pops in and out of the pages. I found myself searching each spread to see if it was included. Look for the one with it sweeping. Hawkins also incorporates comic-style panels into several illustrations, adding variety to the already engaging art.
Soon, Nancy Bess grows out of her dress. She then makes it into an apron. As Nancy Bess goes about her activities, it tears. So she turns it into a smart-looking satchel. This flour sack clearly has as many lives as a cat, and as such, Nancy Bess continues to find worthwhile ways to get as much wear out of it as possible. Seeing how she does this is part of the motivation to read on. After the satchel rips, it’s time to make what remains into a scarf, but a “cherry red stain” from pie soon ruins that creation. What will she make next?
A catchy refrain Noland employs to engage children was also pleasing to my ear:
Nancy Bess knew how to make do.
She measured,
cut,
stitched,
and saved the unused bits.
As time passes, young readers may also spot Mama’s growing belly. A baby is on the way!
Nancy Bess still finds new ways to fashion accessories for herself and her puppy. But as satisfying as the sack dress was in the beginning, its new purpose, something specially sewn for her new sibling, is by far the most rewarding!
Can you tell I thoroughly enjoyed this picture book? It blends history with recycling, which is still as popular as ever with the resale and vintage clothing stores, though no longer from flour sacks. I’ve recently discovered a craft store near me where people donate clothing and fabric scraps for others to repurpose. Backmatter dives a bit deeper into how flour sacks became popular. Maybe after reading Nancy Bess Had a Dress, children will want to fashion something new from something old or worn or torn. I know it’s got me looking at the clothes in my closet in a new “green” way.
Click here for a paper doll activity. Color and then cut out characters!
Download this helpful educational resource guide here.
