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Lauren A. Mills
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The Rag Coat Hardcover – Picture Book, September 3, 1991

by Lauren A. Mills (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 166 ratings
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With paintings that capture all the beauty of Appalachia in authentic detail, this tender story about a resourceful mountain girl's special coat will touchreaders with its affirming message of love and friendship.
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  1. Reading age
    4 - 8 years
  2. Print length
    32 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - 3
  5. Lexile measure
    AD720L
  6. Dimensions
    8.5 x 0.25 x 10.38 inches
  7. Publisher
    Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
  8. Publication date
    September 3, 1991
  9. ISBN-10
    0316574074
  10. ISBN-13
    978-0316574075
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4-- Minna, a young Appalachian girl, wants very badly to attend school, but she doesn't have a coat. Her father has just died and her family cannot afford one. When a group of mothers who gather at her house regularly to make quilts hear of her predicament, they decide to help her. Minna is thrilled, but when the new coat is finished and she wears it to the one-room schoolhouse, she is teased by her classmates for wearing rags. Minna is hurt, but she eventually gains their interest when she explains that her coat is full of stories--their stories--for each scrap has come from one of their homes. The children are enthralled and sorry for their taunts. Mills's care and attention to details make her book as charming as her narrative. The paper is a cream color, and the watercolor palette is warm but faded to give an antique cast to the illustrations. The large, lovely paintings that bring the characters and period to life are balanced by text on the bottom half of the left-hand pages; the generous blank space is filled with small scraps of colorful cloth. The writing is lyrical; its heartwarming message emphasizes the value of a community and sharing. It might even inspire a class quilting project--and a chance to share more stories. --Judith Gloyer, Milwaukee Public Library
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Minna's family can't afford a coat for her, but Papa keeps her warm in winter with a burlap sack and Mama's patchwork quilt; this happy family understands that ``People only need people, and nothing else.'' Soon, Minna loses one of those people: Papa, a coal miner, gets the lung sickness and dies, after urging eight- year-old Minna to start school. There's still the problem of the coat, solved by neighbors who contribute scraps and help to make one of patchwork lined with the old sack, ready almost as soon as cold weather begins. At first, the other children tease Minna about her outlandish garment; then, learning that the patchwork contains bits of their own histories, they begin to honor Minna and the stories she tells about the coat's many pieces. This sweet, sober tale about love and good will overcoming poverty is reminiscent of Marguerite de Angeli's thoughtful books--especially in the soft, delicately detailed illustrations with their subtly poignant charcterizations and lovingly evoked setting in time past. Unusually appealing. (Picture book. 5-10) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; First Edition (September 3, 1991)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316574074
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316574075
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 8 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD720L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.25 x 10.38 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 166 ratings

About the author

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Lauren A. Mills

Lauren A. Mills

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Lauren A. Mills is the author/illustrator of The Rag Coat, Minna's Patchwork Coat, Tatterhood and the Hobgoblins and more. She wrote and co-illustrated Fairy Wings with her husband, Dennis Nolan, but their best collaboration was their daughter, Genevieve May (Evie).

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
166 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Savvy Shopper
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a beautiful book
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2024
Verified Purchase
I love this story. I have given many of these to children I love, and also to adults I love. Without exception, they have also loved this story as well. Beautiful story. Beautiful illustrations.
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Faye M. Davenport
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for today's child.
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2023
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This book has a wisp of the Dolly Parton song Coat of Many colors. The illustrations are very approriate and engaging. Each one tells a story in itself. It is a beautiful lesson on showing compassion for others as well as learning to be compassionate. The reader may need a tissue so read in advance of reading to the children.
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Janelle Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars The Rag Coat: A Must-Read Children’s Season of Thanks Story
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2015
Verified Purchase
Heartwarming. This title was originally released in 1991 and the lessons of this enduring tale remain relevant to children and families today ... that's why author/illustrator Lauren A. Mills will be releasing her debut novel, Mina's Patchwork Coat, this month. The new title is based on The Rag Coat.

To check out my entire review, please visit: http://sewgod.com/the-rag-coat-a-must-read-childrens-thanksgiving-story/

"... Homeschool parents and educators have built entire curriculums around the The Rag Coat. It is a tremendous example of love, giving, resilience, communication and community spirit. It is also beautifully illustrated. The historical fiction tale is set in the early 1900’s. Young Mina and her family live in the Appalachian Mountains, where her passing father was a coal miner and her mother worked to make ends meet by sewing. Her mom is also part of quilting group.

Mina’s father impresses on his young daughter that “People just need people,” a lesson vividly portrayed to Mina when the quilting ladies give unselfishly of their time and their fabrics, to make her a desperately needed coat. Without the coat, Mina would not have been able to brave winter’s cold to go to school. Mina sees the coat as a beautiful loving gift, understands its opportunity and adores the stories behind each scrap. When her classmates tease her about the coat, Mina flees into the woods to escape their cruelty.

While in the woods, Mina remembers her father’s warmth through the coat’s lining. She is then able to return to teach her classmates the coat’s value. She recalls their mothers’ stories about each of the scraps she chose. In this way, the other students feel connected to Mina’s coat and see it as a treasure..."
4 people found this helpful
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Mary Graber
5.0 out of 5 stars Well written
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2024
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This is such a sweet, well written story for children, but honestly as an adult I enjoy it as well. The book itself has thick pages and is durable. I gifted it to my second grade sister and she loves it.
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CJrMom
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful story
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2023
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I’m a pretty conservative homeschooling parent and really love this. Was recommended by Really Very Crunchy, and did not disappoint.
One person found this helpful
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Ahhling
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful story with many honest lessons within.
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2015
Verified Purchase
I bought this for my now 6 year old about a year ago. We have read it probably 10-15 times and at some point each time, I start crying. The story is simple, honest and filled with real emotion and lessons about love, appreciation, generosity, being true to oneself and kindness. It models so many important lessons and behaviors for children these days. I think the paucity of these kinds of stories, that are so down home, is what strikes a chord in me each time. My daughter also likes the story and gets very serious when we read it. Can't recommend it enough.
11 people found this helpful
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af
5.0 out of 5 stars We love this book
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2013
Verified Purchase
I bought this based on the description. It's very difficult to find books that young kids (mine are 5 and under) can understand about death. This handles it beautifully and introduces them to a new part of the country that they did not know about before. What I love is how the community pulls together to help carry out the father's wish and how the young girl was able to stand up for herself and overcome her situation. There are a lot of themes and messages in this book and it is very well done. We've read this countless times since I bought it and it's one of our favorites.
One person found this helpful
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Good Yarns
5.0 out of 5 stars deeply moving story of dealing with sorrow and teasing
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2002
Verified Purchase
I must confess, I was not prepared to read my 5 year old a book on death...and I was a little shocked to find out during my first time reading it to her (I guess I should have pre-read it). Even so, I loved it, and so did she! This story deals with the sorrow of death and the humiliation of poverty in a real and positive way, without being sentimental. It is beautiful to see a child come up with a loving solution to her problems.
17 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Sarah McDonald
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book
Reviewed in Canada on December 16, 2016
Verified Purchase
This is such a great book! I wish every child could read this lesson about thankfulness and kindness.
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tanmctan
4.0 out of 5 stars Gentle story about generosity and forgiveness
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 14, 2015
Verified Purchase
This is a gentle story that teaches compassion, kindness and generosity. Soft illustrations go with the story and character. I used it for a Five in A Row weekly English lesson. Believable, interesting, and learned something. I understand the narrative is as if the girl is writing, my ONLY beef, is a personal one. She uses "real" instead of really. I know that's how people speak but when you're teaching English, I don't like to show that it's correct to say or write. My DD7 read it as "really" so it's okay. There's a few spin-offs from here, including explaining about coal and how to make fabric.
2 people found this helpful
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Radhika Aannd
5.0 out of 5 stars My kids and I loved reading through it
Reviewed in India on August 24, 2014
Verified Purchase
This is a lovely book for children. My kids and I loved reading through it. It is a nice addition to my library.
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KAB
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on January 10, 2017
Verified Purchase
A beautiful story about family memories, kindness, community, and empathy.
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Carol F
3.0 out of 5 stars Long time coming
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 28, 2010
Verified Purchase
I ordered a number of books from other suppliers at the same time and this took the longest to arrive by quite some time - arrived form the USA in the end. Plastic wrapper meant it got rather bent up too unfortunately.
One person found this helpful
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