Norene Paulson writes picture books that celebrate friendship, acceptance, and inclusion, and Nila’s Perfect Coat exemplifies the generosity of helping others in need.
Nila has a perfectly good coat that still fits from last season but on a trip to a Thrift store it’s a puffy, highly-colored coat that catches her eye. Her Mother nixes that purchase as unnecessary. However, Nila insists that she can use her own birthday money from Daddy to buy it. After discovering that Lily, a fellow classmate, had no coat to wear, Nila reconsiders her own desire and generously gifts the new coat to her.
Maria Mola’s rustic illustrations in earthy colors are a perfect complement to a gentle story that can open a dialogue with children about what we value and what is important. (That Nila shops in a thrift store is a message in itself.) The story also has a magnanimous intent: giving readers suggestions at the end of the book as to how they can help provide warm clothing to disadvantaged children living in cold climates, through donations, fundraisers and “coat drives.” A perfect way to “share the warmth.”