Katie's Hand-Me-Down Day

Jean Free is a retired teacher-librarian and library consultant in
Whitby, Ontario.

Katie thinks she’s too old for hand-me-down clothes from her siblings
and longs for something new to wear for her fifth birthday. She and her
father go shopping, but she decides against new boots, jeans, a sweater,
and a raincoat. She realizes she likes her old clothes as she listens to
her father reminisce about the grown-up activities her older siblings
engaged in while wearing them: learning to ride a bike, filling the bird
bath, and skipping stones. Katie recalls that her red sweater was knit
by her grandmother, and finds that new jeans are not as comfortable as
old ones. The story concludes with the birthday surprise of a brand-new
red bicycle.

Laurie Wark has written a tender story about growing up, about a
child’s place in a family, and about making decisions. Many young
children will identify with wearing family hand-me-downs, the desire to
keep favorite items of apparel, and the longing to do grown-up things.
Though her father is sentimentally attached to the various items of
clothing, he allows Katie to make her own decisions.

Eugenie Fernandes’s bright, lively full-page illustrations add color
and movement to this gentle story, while extending and complementing the
text. Recommended.