picture book review: different like coco by elizabeth matthews

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(Note: I'm taking Children's Literature this semester, so I'll be including the reviews I do for class here as well.)

Different Like Coco is a delightful biography of Coco Chanel, the famous fashion designer. The book traces Chanel's life from birth, through the death of her mother when Coco was twelve. Coco had to move to an orphanage, where she learned to sew. Women were only allowed a few jobs in the early 1900s, and luckily for Chanel, tailoring was one of them. She soon began making her own clothes. While this books tells the inspiring tale of Coco Chanel, who surpassed many obstacles because of her gender and financial status, the overarching theme of the book is that Coco Chanel was always different, and people always liked her. In addition to being a good biography, the book also covers history, including World War I, nicely. Although it deals with some difficult topics quite honestly, Matthews manages to maintain a hopeful theme. There is enough history included to attract older readers as well.

2 stars (out of 4) - liked it

Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge
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