10,000 Dresses

Marcus Ewert (2008), Seven Stories Press

Every night when Bailey goes to sleep, she dreams of a magnificent castle filled with dresses – 10,000 dresses in all! When she goes to tell her mother, father, and brother about how she would like a beautiful dress she is dismissed and told that she shouldn’t want to wear a dress because she is a boy. Disheartened, Bailey takes a walk and finds a new friend, Laurel, who is an aspiring dressmaker fresh out of new ideas. Together, they make beautiful dresses and Bailey is accepted for who she is.

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Talk with a child about this book

There were so many different magnificent dresses in this story! There were dresses made of crystals, honeysuckles, and windows. If you could design a dress for yourself – any way you want it! – what would it look like?

How do you think Bailey felt after her family told her she shouldn’t want to wear a dress? What do you think they could have done differently?

Bailey’s luck turned around when she met Laurel, her dressmaking friend. How was Laurel a good friend to Bailey?

Laurel seemed stuck when it came to making new, creative dresses. How did Bailey help Lauren out with that?

How do you think Bailey felt at the end of the story, once she finally had a wonderful dress to wear and a great friend by her side?