Overview
A spare, imaginative picture book that makes a perfect gift. A boy and his mom happen upon a lone hat in the middle of the park. It’s bright red, and fits Henry just right. Turns out, Hat has a ton of important uses! It shields the sun. It doubles as a sled or a boat. It even fights crocodiles in Africa. . . . But what about Hat’s owner? Maybe he or she needs Hat even more than Henry does. Henry’s imagination may have run away from him, but in the end, his heart knows the right thing to do. An arty picture book about a boy and his imagination, Hat inspires readers to revel in the power of creativity.
Synopsis
A spare, imaginative picture book that makes a perfect gift.
A boy and his mom happen upon a lone hat in the middle of the park. It’s bright red, and fits Henry just right. Turns out, Hat has a ton of important uses! It shields the sun. It doubles as a sled or a boat. It even fights crocodiles in Africa. . . . But what about Hat’s owner? Maybe he or she needs Hat even more than Henry does. Henry’s imagination may have run away from him, but in the end, his heart knows the right thing to do. An arty picture book about a boy and his imagination, Hat inspires readers to revel in the power of creativity.
The New York Times - Lucinda Rosenfeld
For those who get worked up about gender typecasting, Paul Hoppe's Hat will give relief. In Hoppe's universe, what to some might be a decorative object is to others a means of fending off crocodile attacks, sailing the seven seas and performing magic tricks…Hoppe's illustrations are rich with visual detail.
Editorials
Lucinda Rosenfeld
For those who get worked up about gender typecasting, Paul Hoppe's Hat will give relief. In Hoppe's universe, what to some might be a decorative object is to others a means of fending off crocodile attacks, sailing the seven seas and performing magic tricks…Hoppe's illustrations are rich with visual detail.—The New York Times
Publishers Weekly
Walking with his mother in the park, young Henry finds a wide-brimmed red hat on a bench and immediately wants to take ownership. After all, Hat (as Henry thinks of it) isn't just good for warding off the sun and rain: it could be turned into a sailing ship, save his life when facing a crocodile or make him a star of stage. Hoppe's (Metal Man) inked cartoons, punctuated by rose, teal and green spot colors, give Henry's Walter Mittyesque musings an indomitable, ebullient innocence reminiscent of kids' books from the early 1960s. Seeing the discovery of Hat as a teachable moment about ownership and empathy, Mom reminds Henry that the hat's owner might need it, and Henry's fanciful visions are traced in reverse-an explorer in a croc's belly, a lifeguard with a serious sunburn. But kids may find the wrapup something of a letdown. Henry leaves Hat where he found it, and readers may well contend, rightfully, that none of the people Mom cites are around to claim Hat, and that Hat looks rather lonely left all by itself. Ages 3-6. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Children's Literature -
One day, walking through the park with his mother, Henry spots a hat on a bench. He wants to keep it. He imagines all the "cool" things he could do with it, from catching mice and performing magic tricks to sailing like a boat or racing like a sled. It might even make him a "superstar," but Henry's mother reminds him that someone else might need the hat, like a dancer, an explorer, or a magician. Thinking it over, Henry puts the hat back on the bench. Witty, energetic pen, brush, and ink drawings depict the text's very brief events. Transparent colors keep a focus on the wide-brimmed red hat and enliven images of a huge, double-page size green alligator, a sunburned lifeguard, and other items in the book. The small book offers food for thought to young readers. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia MarantzSchool Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2
During an outing in the park, Henry finds a broad-brimmed hat and thinks of all the wonderful things he can do with it, such as catch mice and perform magic. He lets his imagination run wild: "Hat can be a boat, sailing far away." But after his mom reminds him of all the people who might need the hat, he leaves it where he found it. The text is simple but imaginative. The illustrations bring each imagined scenario to life, and the ink drawings have a slightly retro feel with their subdued colors. The story lends itself to being read aloud, and the red hat pops off the pages. Henry and Hat are sure to be a hit. -Laura Stanfield, Campbell County Public Library, Ft. Thomas, KY