I love this book. The illustrations are absolutely adorable and I love that it tells the stories of all kinds of patterns from around the world and shows the process of making clothes from scratch. It would be perfect to read at school to inspire a project on patterns, design or dressmaking.

This book was cute and wonderfully illustrated, I just feel that a few of the patterns missed the mark. The illustrations didn't completely express the nuances of patterns like seer sucker as they could have. All in all though, it was cute.

A Pattern for Pepper was a lovely glimpse into the world of textiles. There was a bit of information about different patterns that one might see quite often, but not know much about. I recognized the patterns myself, but I didn't know some of the history that was shared about them. It was a nice learning experience.

The artwork was very pretty. I'm not sure of the style exactly, but I think that it was watercolor. I think it was a good match for the story and it flowed well with the narrative.

The reason I am not giving this a full five stars is because while this book will, I think, be entertaining for children, the adults that read it to them might notice a few things about Pepper and her behavior that bother them. For me, it was that she was mentioned as lying on the floor, having her shoes off (she shows off her socks, so I'm assuming this part), and generally being quite picky. Considering this is a business, I would've thought that her mother (shown only in one panel and never mentioned again) would've made sure she acted like a good customer. It was a family business, I understand, and one they're quite familiar with, but it still rubbed me the wrong way.

I would recommend this to read together as it's a good experience, but it would be good for a child to read by themselves, though I think some of the pronunciations might be difficult.

This is an adorable story for kids of any age. It teaches textiles and patterns in a way that will interest kids and adults alike, and is a sweet story about a young girl finding her own identity. The allegory is light enough to entertain without being saccharine, but still gets the point across well.

A cute book circling a girl with a vision and an abundance of patterns. Pepper has a special occasion coming up and gets to get a new dress. A little girl turned fashion designer. This book was nice in that there's learning along the way from what a certain pattern is to where it's even from. Pictures on each page giving you insight into what pattern she's looking at. Does a pinstripe fit the fun she is trying to convey? This book will encourage kids to pay attention to detail and maybe even consider making something for their self.

Pepper is totally adorable and very particular, as you will learn when you read the book. This book while taking through the ritual of a little girl picking out fabrics and patterns for her first custom made dress for a special occasion, also teaches you a lot. Who knew paisley was actually a pattern named after a place in Switzerland? I didn’t and I learned that from here along with facts about many more interesting patterns. As Pepper works with Mr.Taylor (the tailor!) to find the perfect pattern for herself, we are treated to learning the patterns, the process of dressmaking (in the simplest terms), and of how kids might make choices (which is pure fun!).
While this book might not be for everyone, it is a book that will be enjoyed by many. The illustrations complement the book perfectly!
Rating: B
Reading Level: 5 – 9 years (though my 10 year old who loves to craft/sew/knit also enjoyed it – mainly for the information)

A delightful book that teaches children about the names of patterns in fabric. Both my mother and grandmother were gifted seamstresses so I appreciate the idea of teaching children the names, and origins of the names, of fabrics. The illustrations are lovely and the story is charming.

Pepper needs the perfect dress for a special occassion. She goes to the dressmaker with her mother and learns about various different patterns and finally finds the one that fits her perfectly.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful. The book is also a wonderful resource for young children and adults who want to know about fabric patterns. It also shows how if you stay true to yourself you will find a perfect fit, because we all have our perfect pattern.

What a delightfully fun book! I absolutely love fabric and I think this is a wonderful and educational way to share that love with children. The illustrations were so colorful and clever and I really enjoyed the background information that was shared on all the different fabric Mr. Taylor showed with Pepper. And what a surprise when Pepper chooses my favorite pattern of all for her dress. You can’t go wrong with paisley!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend this!

Pepper is in search of a new dress for a special occasion. What pattern will she choose? There are many different fabrics and patterns and some fabric patterns are explained. Cute story for girls and pretty illustrations!

My seven year old daughter enjoyed this book. I do not sew, so it was something new for her which kept her interested. It was a fairly quick read for her, as she is like me and reads like a starving person would eat. I think this is a great book with a lot of fascinating details. I would recommend this to my friends for their daughters!

Pepper is shopping for a dress for a very special occasion. Her mother takes her to the family tailor for a one of a kind dress made by Mr. Taylor, the owner of the tailor shop. After meeting with Pepper her and Mr. Taylor set off through bolts of patterns rich in colors and history.

Julie gives the reader a wonderful insight to the different pattern names and their history. It was very educational. This story gives reader a new outlook on the patterns of everyday life. "Patterns are everywhere" according to Mr. Taylor and the pattern of this book is quite astounding. Julie's illustrations are adorably fun. Many children would want to follow Mr. Taylor and Pepper through the dress creation process. I predict quite a few children inspiring to be dress makers and designers after reading. They will also be inspired to have their own opinion and be themselves but in a polite manner as portrayed by Pepper.

The one and only issue I have with the storyline is the reasons Pepper give for turning down particular fabrics. It is difficult for me to believe someone turning down a herringbone pattern, for example, for the simple reason of it being too cold underwater and therefore would not choose that one.

I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend A Pattern for Pepper to the young population, especially if they show an interest in fashion. As I mentioned earlier I can see this book inspiring many children to be creative and design their own clothing and textiles.

Pepper is in need of a new dress for a special occasion so she and her mother ask Mr. Taylor to make one just right for her.
Mr. Taylor takes her measurements and then explains that “fabrics are textiles and textiles come in all sorts of patterns.” He explains there are patterns in all things and begins to compare the floor to herringbone, and tells Pepper that design was inspired by the skeleton of a fish. He then goes on to explain plaids and houndstooth, argyle and ikat, dotted swiss and toile, until he has gone through the history and origins of most of the patterns in his shop. And then, when it seemed like Pepper wasn’t going to agree to any of them, Mr. Taylor finds exactly the right pattern for her special occasion.
If you sew, even if you don’t sew, this book is a charm from beginning to end. The drawings are perfect, soft and vibrant and simple. The history of the patterns is informative for anyone, but if you have a young person in your life who is showing an interest in sewing, this book should be required.

With this book you get to learn about different designs in fabric. The girl had to make a choice in which one she wanted and she always used great manners in responding to those she didn’t want to go with. Some of her responses were really funny. This is a great book for those little ones out there that are into fashion and design.

Dress making from scratch is almost a lost art these days. Little girls mostly shop at the mall, online, or in individual stores where their dresses come pre-made and are ready to go... take it off the rack, try it on, looks good, buy it, and it's yours. Done!

This sweet book takes you on a journey with Pepper as she chooses the perfect material from Taylor's, ( Mr. Taylor, the owner of the store, is a tailor by trade). Together they create the dress of her dreams.

It's not easy getting a dress custom-made just for you. There's a lot of decisions to be made. You have to be measured precisely, choose your favourite fabric and then practice a lot of patience as Mr. Taylor works his magic to fulfill your dream.

Pepper takes her time and chooses her pattern carefully because she wants to be absolutely sure that this is the one. Dotted Swiss? no... not flashy enough... then what about Houndstooth? Argyle? Seersucker? Toile?... just to name a few. No not her style either. Whatever pattern will Pepper choose? Oh my! She has so many choices to choose from.

Finally she makes up her mind. She and Mr. Taylor work hard sketching designs and sewing up her fancy new dress. Pepper swirls around and models her lovely new garment on its completion. She looks absolutely fabulous!!! I wonder what pattern she picked and where she might be going to wear such a lovely creation?

I really enjoyed the book as it brought back memories of my own mom sewing late into the night so her three little girls would have new fashions to wear in the upcoming days. The book is both educational and a fun way to learn about the historical patterns we see around us every day. I loved the whimsical illustrations and the adorable main character, Pepper. I highly recommend this book.

My daughters and I loved this book! The stories behind each pattern were so unique and detailed while short enough to maintain young readers attention. We're looking forward to this in print to see the details of each beautiful pattern better.
In a world of ready made clothes, seeing how a custom-made piece comes to life is quite special. This book did a great job of telling a sweet story of a unique little girl and finding her perfect pattern.

This is charming, and I would have loved it when I was a kid who sewed, but it seems a bit niche for general use.

I did not care for this book and would not use it in my classroom. It did give nice information about fabrics and the little girl finally found what she wanted but it would not be appropriate for my students.

I was intrigued to read this because my name is Pepper! This was a cute book to teach children about different patterns! I enjoyed the pictures!

A Pattern for Pepper is absolutely delightful!
Pepper needs a special dress for a very special occasion and visits Mr.Taylor (the tailor, of course) to pick out fabric. Mr. Taylor teaches Pepper about all the different fabric patterns in his shop until they find one that is just right. Filled with beautiful illustrations and lovable characters, this title is perfect for ages 6-10 and I look forward to recommending it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.