Different Like Coco

This informational picture book tells the story of Coco Chanel and her life before becoming a huge fashion success. Its starts out explaining her childhood and how difficult it was. She was orphaned at the age of twelve and had to live in a convent with nuns. This is where Coco learned how to sew. She would sew herself ribbons for her hair and make little dolls out of scraps of fabric. Coco was treated like a second class citizen because of her economical state but yet she did not let this bother her. She studied the way the “rich girls” acted at Notre Dame and began to master their manners and confidence. Coco went and worked for a tailoring shop when she finished at Notre Dame. She realized that she was never going to look like the ladies of the high society, so instead of trying to fit in- she remained true to herself. Coco was different. She was skinnier than everyone else. Coco did not want to wear the same clothes as everyone else. She began to make her own. One day, she met a man named Boy Capel and he bought her a small shop so she could sell her clothing. For years, she grew her business. As the tables turned in society, the conception of what women were to look like changed. Everyone wanted to be Coco and this was all because she remained true to herself and stayed different.

This story is truly an inspiration for all my future female students. I think this informational text picture book portrays both Coco’s personal life and her fashion life in a way that helps remind students that they must be true to themselves. Coco was different from everyone and instead of changing herself, she embraced her differences. She did not let anything stop her or get in her way of letting her achieve her goals of living a life in the higher society filled with her passion for fashion. I would want all my students to reflect on this story and think about something that they are so passionate about that they would stop at nothing to be able to accomplish it. As they are reflecting, I would want them to think about some of the obstacles that they may have to face along the way. The students would write about how they may overcome these barriers of life. Lastly, I would want my students to write about what makes them different from everyone else. We could create a published book called “Different Like Us.” This has become one of my favorite picture books. I never thought I would enjoy informational picture books this much! 

Different Like Coco

Author: Elizabeth Matthews
Year Published: 2007