Petra Mathers. Lottie's New Beach Towel. New York: Atheneum Books, 1998.
Lottie is a lovely Leghorn hen. Her story begins as she is preparing a picnic to share with a friend. A package arrives. "Inside was a beach towel with a note. 'Dear Lottie, This might come in handy this summer. Love, Aunt Mattie.'" And so it does. As events unfold, the beach towel rises to every occasion, saving Lottie's feet from the burning sands by the sea, servng as a makeshift sail when her friend's outboard motor dies, and substituting as a bridal veil when the original veil blows away in the wind.
This is a wonderful book for preschoolers, full of everyday dramas and the inventiveness needed to solve them. Lottie's unflappability is an inspiring model for them; her calm and persistence in the face of change an incredible support for them. Her reliance on a blanket-like object is endearingly familiar, as is her day full of incident from morning until night. And the peaceful image of her typing a thank-you note to her aunt while the towel dries under the stars is immensely comforting.
For years, we quoted lines from this book to each other, even the simple "What now?" when confronted with a small change in plans. You might, too.