Sometimes you CAN judge a book by its cover.

Yes, THE DRESS AND THE GIRL is gorgeously detailed from the lovely cover art to the lyrical text to extraordinary illustrations. It’s a beautiful tale of immigration, the value of simple joys, and the power of memory, written by Camille Andros and illustrated by Julie Morstad.

In the story, we follow a girl and her favorite dress from the charming Greek countryside to Ellis Island. The little girl’s dress was made for her by her mother, and she adores it. She wears it everyday as she dreams of an extraordinary life. Then the girl must leave her home to immigrate to the United States. When she arrives, the trunk carrying her favorite dress goes missing and she fears her dress is lost forever.

The girl grows up and forgets about the dress as her new life blossoms. The dress travels all around the world, and then one day something quite extraordinary happens for both the dress and the girl, who is now a woman. I’ll let you read it yourself to see that beautiful scene unfold.

THE DRESS AND THE GIRL is a book you’ll want to read again and again, pouring over the lush detailed illustrations and thinking about the story and the power of our memories and how they affect our lives. The book stirred up flashbacks to my own childhood. We were very poor, and as a young girl my mother made most of my clothes, especially during the leanest years. She normally sewed dresses for me. They weren’t made of the fanciest materials, but when I think of my young childhood, I’m always wearing a dress she made for me. Those memories are very warm and special to me, so reading THE DRESS AND THE GIRL was like stepping into a time machine.

With an ongoing worldwide refugee crisis, especially with children bearing the worst of the challenges, and significant immigration issues that stir up our passions and concerns, stories like THE DRESS AND THE GIRL take on a special importance. We need these stories to inspire thoughtful conversations and to bring out the best in all of us. Tucked inside the book was a lovely note from the author. It really squeezed by heart, and I’d like to share part of it with you.

“My hope is for children to have this book––especially refugee and immigrant children. I hope it serves as a means to inspire conversation, so a generation is raised with a reminder of the goodness of each other, so they have empathy, and can do better than we have done to date. I want refugee and immigrant children to see themselves, and know how extraordinary they are. I want them to feel seen, and understood, and know there is hope. Hope that they can start a new and extraordinary life in a new land. Hope that they are wanted and that people want to help.” -Camille Andros

Immigration is an act of bravery and hope. THE DRESS AND THE GIRL shares that message beautifully from its thoughtful text to its stunning illustrations. You will find THE DRESS AND THE GIRL at your favorite bookstores beginning on August 7, 2018. Preorder a copy today! You can also request a copy at your local library, but I truly believe it’s a story you’ll want to read often and it’s a story you’ll want to share with others. Actually, it’s a great conversation starter for talking about the foundation of our country and our dreams for our future.

Before I end…when I took off the book cover, I gasped. Here’s why:

Camille Andros has made her home in Israel, Utah, Arizona, California, Ohio, Nevada, and, now, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She has her BA in health science, is an EMT, and danced ballet for fourteen years. Camille is the author of the delightful STEM-focused picture book Charlotte the Scientist Gets Squished. To connect with Camille, visit her website or follow her on Twitter or Instagram.

Julie Morstad is an award-winning artist living with her family in Vancouver. She is the illustrator of many books for children, including Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova, When Green Becomes Tomatoes, and This Is Sadie. To connect with Julie, visit her website or follow her on Instagram.

Posted by Michelle Leonard.