“Kate has been busy designing dresses for Marie and Antoinette, her two little dogs. But now she has a chance to shine as a famous fashion designer, or so she thinks. When Kate’s? mom, a renowned fashion icon, arranges for Kate to help dress the mannequins at Bergs, New York’s fanciest department store, Kate is jumping for joy. Kate’s adventures introduce periods of history to girls through fashion. It encourages them to follow their entrepreneurial dreams and most importantly, to be themselves.“
Oh this book, Kate Kate Fashion Plate, “I Have To Be Me,” is just fantastic, with SO many great messages for young girls. Kate is a very confident tween and loves to design fashionable clothes and accessories. She even has a shop that is run with the help of her two dogs, Marie and Antoinette. They are also her fashion models!
Kate’s mother is the head of The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This gives Kate access to centuries of costumes and a world of high fashion. In Kate Kate Fashion Plate, “I Have To Be Me,”we learn about CoCo Chanel, the famous fashion designer. The outfit she has made in honor of CoCo Chanel is too cute.
The book focuses on Kate standing up for herself and what she believes is fashionable. Confident, full of spirit, expressive Kate doesn’t cave to the pressures of being like everyone else. There was one part, I especially liked….Kate is looking through a fashion magazine and points out that the models are all too thin. The book doesn’t “harp” on it, just makes a very simple statement and moves on.
Another feature of Kate Kate Fashion Plate, “I Have To Be Me,” that I love are the activities at the end of the book to that enhance the educational value of the story. I have never seen a book like this. It starts out with a very simple section on entrepreneurs (perfect for the age of the book) followed by more about CoCo Chanel. Oh, but that is not all, there is an entrepreneurs workbook/handbook and Mom’s page and a fashion sketch book. Mom’s page includes a mother/daughter book club guide, tools for girls and articles and resources that address raising tweens.
Kate Kate Fashion Plate, “I Have To Be Me,” is the first in a series. I for one can’t wait for more to follow. Nor can my girls. Kate Kate and the Queen is due out February 2012 and My Mother’s Mommy is expected to be release June 2012.
The author, Deborah Kanafani, was trained as a psychotherapist and has worked with children in conflict. She was Director of International Productions for PBS overseas and wrote children’s television programs for UNDP, UNICEF and PBS . She has also served as Executive Director of Women in Film and Television. Deborah grew up in New York and loves fashions, museums and being an entrepreneur, just like Kate. Deborah is also the author of Unveiled (Simon and Schuster).
