I'm Gonna Climb a Mountain in My Patent Leather Shoes

August 1, 2014
A little girl takes all her feminine favorites on a camping trip. Peppy Sadie, who has impossibly big red hair, narrates her adventure in bouncy iambic verse. "Today we're going camping," she declares, and lickety-split she starts packing. She'll absolutely need her pink ballet costume, her patent leather shoes and her tiara, for starters. Even though Sadie's decked out in frills, she can still help pitch the pup tent and help with other chores, like gathering huckleberries. Things go a bit amiss when a chipmunk makes off with the purple party bag that Sadie was using to gather the berries, and her white gloves get dirty. But no matter; Sadie's imagination takes over. As she climbs the mountain in those patent leather shoes, she pictures herself capturing Bigfoot with her seven strings of pearls and swimming in the river in her flowered underwear. (She forgot her bathing suit.) That night, with only the campfire to illuminate them, Sadie pretends to protect the family from Bigfoot, played by her brother with a growl and a frown. Singer's story crackles with humor and attitude, its driving rhythms making it an infectious read-aloud. Avril's busy illustrations, using pastel chalk over a pencil outline, display a range of bright colors and have a slightly dreamy cast, as if they came right out of Sadie's head. So can a girl rough it in ruffles? Silly question. (Picture book. 4-7)

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July 1, 2014

PreS-The main character of this rhyming picture book, Sadie, combines her love for ultra-feminine fashion and the great outdoors in one big family camping trip: "Today we're going camping./Can't wait til we get there!/I'm thrilled about the things we'll do.../...and what I'm going to wear!" Pastel chalk and pencil outlines keep the visuals soft and delicate, while the text portrays Sadie as empowered and adventurous. She pitches the pup tent in ruffled pants, hunts for Bigfoot in a ballerina skirt, swims in her flowered underwear, and fantasizes about capturing Bigfoot by lassoing him with her seven strings of pearls. Along with the threat of Bigfoot, her little brother is never far out of the picture vacillating between frustration and wonder at his sister's unique and bold take on the camping experience. This enthusiastic take on girl power embraces having it all-with both strength and style.-Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA

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