Happy Book Birthday: NILA’S PERFECT COAT Plus Critique and Book Giveaway

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Can you tell that I’m smiling? I’m always smiling when beautiful new books are born! And today we are singing Happy Book Birthday to NILA’S PERFECT COAT by Norene Paulson, illustrated by Maria Mola and published by Beaming Books. And the author and the publisher are teaming up to offer a wonderful double giveaway: A Picture Book Critique and a copy of the book. Please make sure you leave a comment for a chance to win – and please let us know which you would prefer, the book or the critique.

What an engaging cover! We kind of know a little bit about the book just by looking at it…and we can see how the main character is feeling. I love the color palette and the emotion that jumps out from the page.
Here’s a little bit about the story from the Amazon sales page:

Nila and her mom love shopping at the thrift store. But when Nila finds the most perfect, shiny, puffy coat, Mom says no: Nila’s winter coat still fits her just fine. With a lot of determination and some birthday money from Dad, Nila sets out to prove the coat really is perfect–but along the way, learns maybe it’s perfect for someone else. Someone who needs both a coat and a friend.

An engaging and accessible story about having enough and helping others in need.

Author Paulson stopped by to share a little bit about her path to publication for this book. I asked her if there was anything humorous about it and she answered:

NORENE: A humorous fact about NILA’S PERFECT COAT is that the final version is unrecognizable from the first draft. The only thing the two have in common is thrift store shopping. Otherwise, over time, the characters, the plot particularly the conflict, the title, and the back matter all slowly evolved based on critique and editorial feedback. To look back and see its evolutionary journey is quite humbling and Nore I’ve never experienced to this extent with any other story I’ve written.

Wow! That’s fascinating, Norene. And I think it helps us all to feel better about the constant revision we seem to be doing on manuscripts we are writing or manuscripts that have already been acquired. Thank you for sharing that!

I also wanted to tell you all that Norene has partnered with a nonprofit, ONE WARM COAT.


One Warm Coat is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide free coats to children and adults in need while promoting volunteerism and environmental sustainability. To learn more about how you can help by donating coats, organizing a fund raiser, or hosting a coat drive, visit www.onewarmcoat.org.

This is fabulous, Norene…I love that you connected the book with a nonprofit that helps kids…what a great idea!


Here’s a little bit about this wonderful author:
Norene Paulson, a former middle school language arts teacher turned picture book author, writes stories that celebrate friendship, acceptance, and inclusion. She is the author of BENNY’S TRUE COLORS, Macmillan/2020, WHAT’S SILLY HAIR DAY WITH NO HAIR? Albert Whitman/2021, and NILA’S PERFECT COAT, Beaming Books/2023.

And here are links to connect with the author, illustrator, nonprofit, and the publisher:
Facebook          https://www.facebook.com/norene.paulson
Twitter               https://twitter.com/NorenePaulson               @NorenePaulson
Instagram         https://www.instagram.com/nrpaulson/       @nrpaulson
Post                    https://post.news/norenepaulson                   @norenepaulson     
Website             www.norenepaulson.com
One Warm Coat links
Facebook          https://www.facebook.com/OneWarmCoat
Twitter               https://twitter.com/onewarmcoat                   @onewarmcoat                 
Instagram         https://www.instagram.com/onewarmcoat/ @onewarmcoat
Website             www.onewarmcoat.org
Maria Mola, Illustrator
Twitter               https://twitter.com/madoucepatre                   @madoucepatrie
Instagram         https://www.instagram.com/madoucepatrie/  @madoucepatrie
Beaming Books, Publisher
Twitter               @BeamingBooksMN
Instagram         @beamingbooksmn

I hope you are all having a wonderful week! The temperatures finally climbed out of the bitterly cold MINUS numbers and today we are experiencing a balmy 43 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s definitely still hat and gloves and WARM COAT weather and will be for a few more months here in New England. And it’s definitely a good time to check out ONE WARM COAT to see how you can help.
To be entered in the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post and let us know which prize you would prefer if you are a winner…the Picture Book Critique with Norene Paulson or a copy of NILA’S PERFECT COAT!

Before you hop off to write your comment and share the post on your social media (extra tickets in the giveaway hat for doing that), I wanted to let you all know that on Sunday night, I set up a Facebook Birthday Fundraiser to benefit the Stuart Kirkfield Scholarship at Highlights Foundation. This scholarship provides opportunities for women who are coming to writing later in life (like I did!) and who would like to attend a workshop at the wonderful Highlights retreat in Pennsylvania. If anyone is interested, here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/donate/950723549186225/950723569186223/

69 thoughts on “Happy Book Birthday: NILA’S PERFECT COAT Plus Critique and Book Giveaway”

  1. Wow so impressive! Thank you for sharing Norene! Your new book looks amazing! I would love to win a copy. Thanks for the generous giveaway. And thank you for all the work you put into your blog Vivian!

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  2. Love the story and illustrations. Very interesting to learn that the final version is so different from the original. Guess those revisions paid off! I’d love to get a critique should I be the lucky winner!

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    • Thanks, Helen! Yes, the revising definitely made a huge difference. I don’t think the original version would have sold. I have my very honest critique partners to thank for saying…”this doesn’t really work, but here’s some suggestions for what might”.

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  3. Thank you Vivian and Noreen for this wonderful interview. I’ve now read about Nila’s Perfect Coat in a couple different places and it sounds so lovely, touching, and important. I’m so curious about what it looked like initially (the manuscript not the coat😊). I love that you’ve partnered with a non-profit- I stand in admiration!
    All my best,
    Jennifer

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  7. I have heard about this book and have waiting for it! I am a huge thrift store shopper and am always in awe at the number of unwanted clothes that may never reach those who need them. Thank you for the post and the link to the non-profit. I’d love a critique if I’m chosen!

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  8. This story looks so sweet. I can’t wait to read it! I love that the author (and the book) is partnering with a special cause. Love that!

    Fantastic prize – I would love win a PB critique:)

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  9. I would love a Picture Book Critique with Noreen Paulson! I had read about this book and story behind it during Storystorm last month. Love what this organization does and happily donated to them. Stay warm everyone!

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  12. Wow. I love this– the book, the story of its evolution, the giveaway! And it’s timely for me, as I actually have a closet of my kids’ outgrown coats that I’m about to donate. Thank you. I’d love to win a copy of the book.

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  19. What a perfect book! I love thrift store shopping, as well as thrift store donating. When I’m in the stores, it’s hard not to wonder about the stories the other shoppers have to tell.

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