Ella Sarah Gets Dressed

Ella Sarah knows exactly what she wants to wear — pink polka-dot pants, a flower-print dress, striped socks, yellow shoes, and a red hat — and she is not changing. Mom disagrees. Dad disagrees. Big Sister disagrees. Ella Sarah does not care. Margaret Chodos-Irvine's bold printmaking illustrations, rich in color and texture, make the whole book feel as joyfully stubborn as its heroine, and the payoff — friends arriving in equally wild outfits for a tea party — lands with a satisfying click. The story is almost entirely visual, which means there isn't much text to chew on, and older picture-book readers may find it slight. But for toddlers and preschoolers who recognize themselves in Ella Sarah's determination, this 2004 Caldecott Honor book is a warm, pitch-perfect mirror.