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MaryEllen is a woman who, during the pandemic, has begun to develop a bit of a shopping habit. With nowhere to go and nothing to do, she ends up spending more money than she should on all kinds of clothes and accessories to make up for her inability to see her friends and family and go out like she is used to doing. This creates a loop of negativity that undermines her confidence and self-worth until she happens to see a parking attendant at work. Seeing the attendant’s bright vest and clipboard, MaryEllen takes a page from their book and finds that the combination of accessories helps people notice her and gives her a significant boost of confidence. With a new spring in her step, she heads out into the world to share her findings and help people become more confident.
The full-page, beautiful cartoon illustrations in this book offer a great deal of expressive context to partner with the story of MaryEllen’s struggle. Anyone who lived through quarantine or those who are just tired of being stuck inside for a prolonged period will be able to identify with MaryEllen’s habits. Ultimately, it is a simple gesture and change that gives MaryEllen her confidence back, and so readers can either follow her example exactly to see if it helps them break the rut or look for their own unique spin on the same idea. Although the book’s length and style are perfect for young readers, adults will also be able to relate to this story very well, enabling a discussion between parent and child about how to cope with a hard situation and come out of the other side stronger than ever.