Mad About Plaid

by Jill McElmurry, Jill McElmurry (Illustrator)

Overview

From the illustrator of the best-selling Little Blue Truck series comes the whimsical tale of Madison Pratt, a clever and spunky girl determined to reverse the curse of the plaid purse.

Madison Pratt is delighted to find a lonely plaid purse in the park one afternoon. It’s just the fashion statement she’s been looking for. Until—oh no! The plaid begins to spread. It crawls up Madison’s sleeve, over her jacket, and under her hat. The purse’s mad curse causes Madison—and her whole neighborhood—to turn plaid! Will Madison’s spunk and optimism help to reverse the curse before it’s too late?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780358172444
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/02/2020
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)
Lexile:	AD500L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Jill McElmurry was the illustrator of many picture books, including her own Mad About Plaid, When Otis Courted Mama by Kathi Appelt and the best-selling Little Blue Truck series, written by Alice Schertle. She happily divided her time between the wide landscape of New Mexico and a green island in Minnesota. Jill passed away in August 2017.

Jill McElmurry was the illustrator of many picture books, including her own Mad About Plaid, When Otis Courted Mama by Kathi Appelt and the best-selling Little Blue Truck series, written by Alice Schertle. She happily divided her time between the wide landscape of New Mexico and a green island in Minnesota. Jill passed away in August 2017.

Editorial Reviews

"Giggleworthy cartoon illustrations of plaid houses, cars, trees, poodles, and even squirrels capture the "plaid germ" spreading throughout the town.... A tartan twist on an old standard with plenty of humor both visual and verbal." —Kirkus "[C]an be used to instill a sense of caution and hope in children when immersed in possibly worrisome and unfamiliar situations."—School Library Journal —

From the Publisher

06/01/2020

PreS-Gr 2—A young girl named Madison Pratt finds a plaid purse in the park. She vows to take care of the purse. After she sings a silly song, the plaid on the purse starts to spread all over her and then begins spread to buildings, stores, animals, and even the sky. As the plaid spreads, everyone begins to panic. Plaid is referred to and treated as if it were a germ. Characters are often depicted with worried and fearful expressions. The illustrations are done in a folk art–style, while the text shifts position and direction, creating a busy look and feel. The plaid not only affects the look of the scenery but also the wording used in the scenes. As billboards, signs, and other text changes to correspond with plaid's takeover, the narrative's rhthmic feel adds a lighter touch to what is essentially a book about mass hysteria. VERDICT The concept of this book may be rather complex for young children to grasp. However, in the era of COVID-19, the book can be used to instill a sense of caution and hope in children when immersed in possibly worrisome and unfamiliar situations.—Deanna Smith, Pender County P.L., NC

School Library Journal

2020-03-15
Everyone knows about King Midas’ golden touch, but what about Madison Pratt’s tartan touch?

When Madison picks up a plaid purse in the park, “Her fingers tingled. / Her thumbs were hot. / Her arm started twitching and itching a lot. / Then the plaid from the purse crept slowly up her sleeve” and eventually covers all her clothing. Madison even weeps plaid tears at her plaid predicament. Her mother, a nurse, consults How To Cure a Plaid Curse, of course. Madison tries to comply with the remedy, but “a little plaid burp escaped her lips,” and giggleworthy cartoon illustrations of plaid houses, cars, trees, poodles, and even squirrels capture the “plaid germ” spreading throughout the town. Madison races to the park to find the purse again so they can “reverse the plaidening curse!” Turning the purse inside out to hide the plaid reveals a “sad shade of blue,” which infects Madison, the town, and the illustrations with the blues. But luckily, Madison knows how to “cure the blues”: by singing “an extra-silly round of ‘Piddly-diddly-doo’s,” which spreads silliness from place to place. “And as you probably already knew, / with a silly grin on, you CAN’T stay blue!” Readers will pore over the illustrations, which range from typical city scenes to spreads amusingly infected with the “plaid germ” and the blues before returning to normal. Madison and her mother present white, and their community includes individuals with skin tones and hairstyles that suggest diversity.

A tartan twist on an old standard with plenty of humor both visual and verbal. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews