The Spectacular Suit

PreS-Gr 2–Frankie’s party is imminent and her family has chipped in to help prepare for it. The problem is her attire: Frankie does not want to wear any of the three dresses her mother presents to her, and her favorite sweater is not quite right, either: “What Frankie wanted was a suit. A spectacular suit.” Frankie draws a picture, but finding a suit with “lightning bolts and stars and style” one day before a party is not likely, so she crumples up her drawing and settles on wearing a sweater over a dress. Luckily, her family finds the drawing and manages to sew a suit that delights Frankie: “It looked exactly how Frankie felt: like a powerful, stormy sky.” Completing her look with slicked-back hair and cat’s eye sunglasses, Frankie feels spectacular for her birthday party with all her friends sharing in the joy. Retro, monochromatic illustrations dominated by blue, yellow, and pink provide a cheerful backdrop to the narrative of a girl who wants everything to be just right for her big day. The desire to choose particular clothing will resonate with those who have experienced a preschooler dressing themselves. Older readers will likely cue in to the theme of disrupting gender norms as Frankie eschews a party dress for a party suit.