• Nancy Bess Had a Dress

Nancy Bess Had a Dress

Written by Claire Noland
Illustrated by Angela C. Hawkins

~ A Foreward INDIES Picture Book of the Year Finalist! ~

After the family flour sack is emptied, Nancy Bess remakes it into a dress, only to find new uses for it as her needs change with the passing of the seasons. This exploration of repurposing and recycling in days gone by will have young readers in the modern era thinking of new ways to "make do" with what they have around them! 

Download Press Release

March 19, 2024

Key Concepts

Recycling and repurposing, arts/crafts (quilting and sewing), seasons, and U.S. history (1930's).

Additional Details

  • 10 x 10 inches
  • 32 Pages
  • Ages 5 to 9
  • Trade ISBN: 9781957655239
  • Ebook ISBN: 9781957655260

  • Reader Reviews

    • ★★★★★

      Children will enjoy seeing (and guessing?) how Nancy Bess will next use the pretty patterned cloth. The recurrent phrase, “Nancy Bess knew how to make do” is catchy. The full-page, colorful illustrations hide a second story, revealed at the end. Delightful!


      Elizabeth Caulfield Felt, Historical Novel Society