The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter

The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter

Summary: An old tailor who lived in Gloucester was very poor but made beautiful clothing. He would even little little scraps of cloth for the mice that would run around town without ever going into the streets. One evening when he came home he told his cat, Simpkin, to buy some things and especially some more twist so that he could make the nicest cherry-colored coat for the Mayor of Gloucester. Only, his cat. Simpkin forgot to by the twist and was angry that the Old man had let his mice loose from where he had trapped them. Later on that day the old man had found that he was growing sick and he was for the christmas holiday. However, the mice who had clothed and set free saw that he was sick and heard about what he said about making a cherry coat for the Mayor of Gloucester. On Christmas morning, when the animals were able to speak, the cat searched the cats that he old man had set free, and he found them in the Tailor shops singing songs. Now, because Simpkin could not find the key, he could not go into the store to get the mice. And so Simpkin went back home and waited fro the Old man to wake and go to the story. Later that morning when the Old tailor woke and entered the store there he found no mice but instead the cherry-colored coat he had envisioned for the Mayor of Gloucester. This coat was so amazing that all gentlemen from all around came to the old tailor, who grew rich, for coats with buttons that seemed to be stitched by little brown mice.

Review: Another Beatrix Potter classic that any child from ages 3-5 would enjoy. This story was cute and I thing that children will really enjoy that the cat goes shopping and the images of small mice in tiny clothing. I would to have on a classroom on my shelf, and again the fact the book was constructed to fit into small hands makes this book all the more appealing to students. A story like this could be used to teach kindness to students  or young children not in school yet, and how it affects the people around them.