This is the story of a tailor and his 3 sons. Two of his sons know exactly what they want to do when they grow up - tailors like their father. But the third is a dreamer and does not yet know where his imagination will take him.

One day, the Archduke orders new clothes for a trip, including 3 cloaks. The father asks all three of his sons to help him with the order by each making one of the 3 cloaks. Ivan copies the patterns of bricks and makes a fine cloak. Alex uses the Archdukes colors to fashion his cloak. When done, however, he fears it is not interesting enough so he quickly stitches another with a more intricate pattern. Misha, thinking of the books of maps he loves to pour over in the bookstore, uses circles and the colors of maps to make a cloak. Alas, it is lovely, but full of holes and will not protect the Archduke from the weather. When the father calls the sons to present their work, he is pleased with the work of Ivan and Alex. When he sees Misha's cloak, he realizes his son must follow his dreams. He complements the cloak for its beauty, but tells Misha it is lucky that Alex made two cloaks for this one will not do for the Archduke. "Perhaps you were not meant to be a tailor," he gently tells his son. He tells Misha that perhaps it is time for him to set out and explore the world. And as a parting gift, the tailor and his two other sons, refashion Mischa's cloak so that it will protect him in his travels as well as represent the colors of his dreams.

Key Concepts to explore:

Imagination can help people create beautiful and practical things.

Imagination can lead us in new directions.

Vocabulary:

fabric (clothe)

rectangle triangles
pattern (repeated groupings of shapes, designs) diagonal hexagons (six-sided figures)
Spelling:

the words have the long i sound spelled two ways---- i-e, igh

Start with line, pipe, wise, smile, glide, high, sigh, fright, sight, light

Story questions:

1. What is the problem with Misha's cloak? (beautiful, but it is full of holes and won't protect the Archduke from the weather)

2. Why does Misha like to visit the bookstore? (he can pour over maps from all over the world and dream of faraway places)

3. What will the Archduke love about Alex' cloak? (made using the Archduke's colors)

4. How does the father show his love and understanding of Misha at the end of the story? (he sees his sons cloak with the colors of maps and circles like the world and realizes his son must travel the world - he gives him permission to go and he and the other two turn Misha's cloak into a good cloak for a dreamer)

5. Where does Misha go at the end of the story? (he will travel the world)

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