I Like Old Clothes (review)

In rhythmic rhyming verse, this picture book points out the many pros of hand-me-downs and secondhand clothing, from their imagined past lives ("When I wear them,/ I say, 'Clothes,/ I wonder who wore you before you were mine?/ Was she light-haired or dark-haired, seven or nine?/ Did you make her look awful or make her look fine?'") to their comfort ("I like old clothes,/ Cozy warm clothes,/ Broken-in clothes") to their sentimental associations ("Sweaters and shirts/ That are brother-and-sistery"). Clever and carefully cadenced, Hoberman's poetry is a treat to share aloud, and the verse pattern varies just enough to keep things diverting without disturbing the readaloud flow. Barton's unique, somewhat dreamy art (digitally enhanced pencil and mixed media) aptly complements the contemplative tone of the text. Muted retro tones are accented with pale washes of patterns, and the tawny-haired girl narrator and her blond baby brother model a variety of clothes while radiating gentle enthusiasm and good cheer. The subject matter might not initially interest all children (and some style-conscious youngsters may not buy the "used is better" mindset), but the poor economy, a renewed interest in vintage styles, and a surge of DIY activity are making secondhand everything more popular, and this title may have a variety of uses as a result. Share this with children before a thrift-store trip, or read it before presenting kids with a dress-up trunk full of "clothes with a history, clothes with a mystery."