Eagle Book Club

I found Ella Sarah Gets Dressed, illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine, to be a lighthearted and happy book. As a Caldecott Honor book in 2004, I smiled a lot while reading it. Ella Sarah wants to wear a completely mismatched and outlandish outfit while each of her family members tries to persuade her to wear something more sensible and in their own style. She refuses to conform to their sense of style and sticks to her own. When she has her playdate, all her friends are dressed in the same zany fashion, and she has her own niche with them. I thought it was a wonderful portrayal of standing up for yourself and not giving in to peer pressure and conformity. Living with my brothers, I always felt the need to find my own way to shine so I could compete with my oldest brother who seemed to be my Mom's favorite and my twin who seemed to be my Dad's favorite. So, I can relate to the pressure to conform to someone else's standards for approval instead of sticking with my own.