Morris Mickelwhite and the Tangerine Dress 

Author: Christine Baldacchino

Pictures by: Isabelle Malenfant

Morris Mickelwhite and the Tangerine Dress is the story of a boy who likes a lot of things about school - especially the tangerine colored dress in his classroom's dress up center. Morris loves the way he looks and feels in the dress, which is something that Morris's classmates can't quite understand. They tell him that dresses are for girls, and that he can't play with them when he's wearing it, which greatly upsets Morris. Things begin to change when Morris has an amazing dream, complete with the tangerine dress. With the help of a painting created by Morris himself, his classmates begin to see that maybe dresses aren't just for girls.

I think this book would be interesting for students as it shows a young boy's struggles and how he works through them without sacrificing his right to express himself. There are many parts of this story that children will be able to identify with, from the things they like about school to not always being able to get along with others their age. I would recommend this book for elementary students, as it focuses on the issues of self-expression and gender roles and expectations, which are things they are beginning to learn about. This book would help children this age to understand that everyone should be able to wear the things they feel great in, and that someone should not be judged based on their appearance.

Morris Mickelwhite and the Tangerine Dress book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G27N6sjyO5Y