Kelly DiPucchio is the award-winning and New York
Times bestselling author of Grace for President and
numerous other books for kids, including Super Manny Stands
Up!; Crafty Chloe, Zombie in Love, Gaston,
and Antoinette. She lives with her husband and three children
in Michigan. You can find out more about Kelly and her books at
KellyDiPucchio.com.
Heather Ross is an illustrator and fabric designer whose
crafty creations have found commercial success and a massive online
following. She has illustrated the Crafty Chloe books Crafty Chloe
and Dress-Up Mess-Up and is also the author of the craft book
Weekend Sewing. She grew up in the Vermont countryside and has a
tremendous appreciation for nature, which continues to influence
her work now that she lives with her husband in New York City.
Visit her at HeatherRoss.squarespace.com.
* “Crafty Chloe is the creative cousin of Clementine. Ginger
haired, with an adorable taste in free-to-be-me outfits and a heart
of gold, this young heroine finds original and kind-hearted
solutions to big problems…. DiPucchio is to be commended for
providing a simple and strong story with a loving solution that
will surprise readers. Strong pacing and fanciful illustrations
full of happy yellow highlights capture a delightfully determined
and winning child. Ross gives Chloe a sweet individuality that
makes her memorable and likable. A corresponding website provides
crafting ideas and instructions. Required reading for any child
going to a birthday party.”
--Kirkus Reviews, November 15, 2011, *STAR
“This vignette features a young girl dealing with feelings of
inadequacy, peer pressure, and birthday-gift one-upmanship…. The
girls’ facial expressions are priceless…. A pleasant girl-centric
story ideal for those beginning to make the leap from shorter
picture books.”
--Booklist, December 15, 2011
“DiPucchio’s writing has an amusingly wry conversational tone….
Ross’s snappy illustrations, with high-spirited pencil lines
touched with digital color, depict wide-eyed, redheaded Chloe at
home in a detailed crafty girl’s paradise where tubes of glitter,
sewing patterns, and scraps of paper litter the floors, and Chloe’s
dog, Bert, is an expressive and supportive assistant.”
--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, January 2012
“This book loudly shouts that everyone has talents and encourages
children to develop those things they do well…. In Chloe, the
author has created a gracious spirit who gives of herself.
Illustrations support the story’s playful mood.”
—Library Media Connection, Recommended
K-Gr 2-Chloe isn't good at sports, video games, or dancing. Her forte is making things, from coffee-filter hats to outfits for her dog. However, when it comes time to get a birthday present for her best friend, Emma, she goes shopping. She zeroes in on the perfect gift, Violet, a Flower Girl doll, when another child, London, informs her she has already purchased it for Emma. Although London says this "extra sweetly," the expression on her face, as well as her dog's, tells a different story. When Chloe says she will make Emma something instead, London is nasty and derisive. However, when the doll comes to grief on the way to the party, Chloe's homemade creation saves the day, and London's derision turns to praise. While Chloe is a likable character, her excessive concern over the birthday present (going so far as to feign illness to avoid the party) is unrealistic, as is London's instant transformation. While Ross's digitally colored pencil illustrations add some humor to the story, this is strictly an additional purchase.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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