Mr. Coats

PreS-Gr 4–Profoundly, unseasonably, incurably cold, Mr. Coats tries everything—blankets, stoves, hot-water bottles—to no avail. Piling coat over vibrant coat, he becomes too wide to pass through his own door, and instead camps inside his many layers, building a fire “between his coattails.” One day, now famous, he is hoisted by crane onto a flatbed truck and taken to another town, where a woman peeks out from amidst her own heap of outerwear. The two find much to talk about, and soon discover to their surprise that they are warming up from the inside. Mr. and Mrs. Coats peel down to a mere two coats, his and hers, hanging side by side in the house they now share. The palette hints at the possibility of warmth from the start, especially in the small red bird who accompanies Mr. Coats everywhere, while the garments burst with hot colors and varied patterns. In Posthuma’s quirky naïve illustration style, Mr. and Mrs. Coats are doll-like figures who seem made for each other.