Marcus Ewert

Every single person needs to read "10,000 Dresses," both children and adults. For one, the message it teaches is nothing less than remarkable. It tells the story of Bailey, a transgender girl who dreams of 10,000 dresses. She searches for acceptance from her family, and all of them explain that she can't dream or want these dresses because she's a boy, and "boys don't wear dresses." She then makes a new friend who sews dresses, and she finds the love, excitement, and acceptance she's always show more looked for. Her friend tells her that she's the "coolest girl in the world." This lesson of love, acceptance, and understanding made me emotional. I think it's because the book doesn't have a typical happy ending where she finds acceptance from her family. This is extremely real and common for real transgender youth. It does have a different happy ending, though, and teaches hope to those who struggle with similar issues as Bailey. This lesson is that they will find people that love, support, and accept them for who they are and what they're interested in. This will happen with or without their family's acceptance. Second, I LOVED how the authors used the correct pronouns for Bailey throughout the book. Such a small gesture goes a long way in developing the simplest respect for transgender people. The illustrations were stunning as well as the language, as demonstrated in the proper use of pronouns and the honest conversations described when Bailey discusses her dreams with her family. Though child-appropriate, the way they're presented is still very honest and demonstrates the disapproval that real parents often show to their kids in these situations. It properly translates the realities and emotions of these situations for children to understand. Books like these should be given to kids at a young age to learn tolerance and understanding of all types of people. Kids like Bailey absolutely need books like these, especially in a society that still struggles to accept them. show less

10,000 Dresses is a story about being yourself and not giving up on what being yourself means. I enjoyed reading 10,000 dresses. I've never read a book of this nature but I liked it for a few reasons. First, the plot is organized and suspenseful. Every night Bailey has a dream of all these dresses she tries on, and then the next day she tells someone in her family, but they don't care- no one cares until she meets a girl down the street. The plot keeps the reader interested because you keep show more wondering if anyone will ever care that Bailey feels like a girl and not a boy. Secondly, the language is very descriptive and in the text certain words are colored differently, for example the word rainbow is colored like the rainbow. One of my favorite descriptive lines from the book is "When Bailey slipped the dress on, the crystals clinked against each other like millions of tiny bells." The reader can picture the dress as well as hear what it would sound like. Finally, the book pushes readers to think about the issues of a transgender child. In the book you have the perspective of his parents who don't accept him and of the neighbor who accepts Bailey for being a girl. It makes readers think about how they feel and it makes the issue of being transgender more accepted and talked about. show less

I liked this book for two reasons. First, the illustrations matched the story perfectly. The story said, “There was a dress made of lilies and roses! When she slipped it on, she saw the sleeves were made of honeysuckles”. After reading that line, I looked over at the next page and saw a vibrant illustration that mimicked the description of the dress. The illustrations made the words come to life. The second reason I liked this book is because it pushes readers to think about tough show more issues. Bailey was a young boy who felt like she was a girl. Her family did not approve of this, and would constantly tell Bailey that she was a boy. At the end, Bailey met a girl in her neighborhood who was supportive of her identity. I have never read a children’s book like this before. It was unique and makes the reader sit back and think about the issue Bailey had. The big idea of this book is about how there are people in today’s society who are exactly like Bailey: born one gender, but feel like the opposite gender. Whenever Bailey told her parents about wanting a dress she had a dream about, they said, “Bailey, what are you talking about? You’re a boy. Boys don’t wear dresses! . . . Now go away, and don’t mention dresses again”. Bailey was not accepted by her family, which is the same issue many people have too. But, having Bailey find support is a reminder that people are not alone and they will find the acceptance they need. show less

10,000 Dresses. By Marcus Ewert. Illustrated by Rex Ray. Seven Stories Press. 2008. 28 pages. $14.95 hbk. 978-1583228500. Ages 5-9.

Every night, Bailey dreams up a new, beautiful dress she longs to wear – but when she asks her family members for help making them, all they tell her is that she is a boy and shouldn’t be thinking about dresses. Luckily she finds a friend in Laurel, who lives down the street: together they make two beautiful dresses out of mirrors, with the promise of more to show more come. The ultimate message of friendship and acceptance is sweet, and Ray’s solid, un-lined illustrations are gently appealing, but Bailey’s unaccepting family is a heartrending hurdle (which Ray emphasizes by depicting her family members from the back and at child eye-level, to demonstrate visually their distance and disjunction). The audience of children whose parents would choose to read them this book might not yet have the emotional maturity to digest the message that your family doesn’t always accept you for who you are. Nonetheless, parents and guardians of children who are or know someone who is transgender or gender-nonconforming might enjoy sharing this book with their child, as long as they are prepared for frank discussion of the serious and very real issues the book raises. Though this is not lighthearted reading, it is text that highlights the importance of honesty and thoughtfulness in discussions with children – as well as the importance of supporting children as they begin shaping their own sense of identity. Recommended. show less