Looking for some great books for your children? Our children's librarians are excited to share their expert reviews with you. Today's reviews feature books that encourage us to be thrifty and to be creative with what we already have. Click on the titles to find a copy of the book at your favorite Free Library of Philadelphia location!

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback
Joseph gets much extended wear out of his old and worn overcoat after he redesigns the coat into a jacket, then a vest, and more. Children will be drawn into the story, as the pages turn, and they see the die-cut designs of the various garments.

- Reviewed by Debra E. Johnson, Children’s Librarian at Nicetown-Tioga Branch

And for an updated, more girly version of the same story, check out...

I Had a Favorite Dress by Boni Ashburn, with pictures by Julia Denos

"Snip, Snip, Sew, Sew, Favorite Dress, hello!" A little girl is so thrilled with her favorite dress, but as she grows taller she finds that her dress doesn't fit her any more. Not to fear, Mama (herself a bit of a fashion maven) decides to get crafty and transform the dress into a cool new ruffly shirt. As time goes by, the shirt turns into a skirt, a scarf, and even a pair of socks. The illustrations in this book are really neat; stitches dance across the page along with paper snowflakes, festive patterns, and our energetic, city-dwelling little girl.

-Reviewed by Sarah Stippich, Children's Librarian at Blanche A. Nixon/Cobbs Creek Library