A Hat for Ivan

by Max Lucado, David Wenzel (Illustrator)

All the grown-ups in Ivan's village wear a hat that shows what they love most. Because Ivan's father is the hatmaker, Ivan gets to watch his father create a hat that is perfect for each person. Ivan wonders what kind of hat he will have. Will he be a musician? A baker? A palace guard? Ivan doesn't need to worry about his future because his father, the hatmaker who loves him most, shows him that there is only one hat-and one life-created just for him.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Christian, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 14, 2004

About the author

With more than 150 million products in print and several NYT bestsellers, Max Lucado is America's bestselling inspirational author. He serves the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Denalyn, and their mischievous mutt, Andy. His most recent book published in August 2024 and is titled What Happens Next.

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Reviews

[Sandu Andronic · Rating 1 out of 5]

Probabil cea mai puțin reușită carte din această serie. Ilustrațiile sunt forțate, textul este superficial și ambiguu.

[Cover Lover Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 2024 Fav♡rite!

“A Hat for Ivan” offers a wonderful message, showing how our Heavenly Father has special talents and gifts that were created just for us. A special “hat” so-to-speak.

When Hat Day arrives in Hatville, young Ivan is weighted with everyone else’s expectations as they gift him with many ill-fitted hats, rather than a hat that is perfectly suited just for him.

Ivan is a charming boy who is eager to please others and bends over backwards to spare people’s feelings, even to his own detriment. Young readers will find it easy to relate to his predicament, imagining what it is they might really love to do in life and what “hat” they will wear. I love the story’s simplicity and how the moral and symbolism isn’t so direct, using wonderful imagery to showcase the importance of wearing the hat that the one and only Hatmaker (God) has crafted for each of us with love and purpose.

This is an entertaining tale that is easy to connect to. I appreciate its gentle tone, rich imagery, and subtle message. A favorite children’s picture book of 2024!

First Line: Ivan was a happy boy.
Genre: Children
Author: Max Lucado
Page Count: 32
Reading Age: 4-8

#CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book.
Opinions are 100% mine.
#AHatForIvan #MaxLucado @crossway

[Mh Weyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a huge fan of Christian moral stories because they are often rather cheesy. This one was incredibly poignant in a very well-written way. It shows kids the importance of fitting the task that their Heavenly Father has suited for them. All other "hats" are cumbersome. And we are only called to take on God's plans for our life...not all the plans others make for us.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacob read to mom for the Family Christian summer reading program..krb 6/15/16

Ellie read this to Auntay at INR before bedtime...krb 1/21/19

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good lesson about being yourself and doing what you love, rather than trying to be what others want or expect you to be. 3 1/2 stars.

[Little Seesaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great little book. If you try to please only others you will be tired. You need to let your Heavenly Father guide you and help you to pick out the perfect hat that will fit you just right.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a child nor a children's author nor a parent, but I am a former child, a current child at heart, and a hat enthusiast.

This is a sweet little story about how people try to shoehorn kids into roles or live vicariously through them. It's not always intentional and sometimes comes from benign motives, but the pressure we put on kids to be like us betrays who they are. I knew that pressure as a kid. I felt the temptation to foist it on kids I taught. But the reality is that only the Father knows who someone should be.

Poor Ivan is finally old enough to have a hat in a village where everyone wears a hat. The baker gives him a baker hat that he wears just to make the baker happy. The teacher gives him a teacher hat, the fireman gives him a fireman's hat. Ivan can't wear these ill-fitting hats all at once, nor can he see or move well in any one of them. He's sad because he can't make everyone else happy. But his Father, the Hatmaker, has a special hat made just for Ivan. It fits just right! The Hatmaker knew just the hat Ivan needed.

This little parable has a twofold meaning. The first is that no one can know a child as well as his parents. Good parents have a special insight and a special responsibility to guide their children toward the roles that fit them best. The second and more important one is knowing that God, the best Father, is the only one who knows exactly who a child is and who he should be. This remains true for us adults too. Only God knows precisely who He has made us to be; He gave us all our gifts, talents, and abilities, and He knows how to help us be who we need to be. His is the only opinion that really matters.

Sweet story!

[Книжни Криле · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Шапка за Иван” (изд. „Нов човек”) е вече четвърта книжка на Макс Лукадо, която чета и е поредното доказателство, че писателят има усет как да съчетава приказното и поучителното. Запознайте се с Иван – весело момче на девет години, което съвсем скоро ще навърши десет. А освен, че това е кръгъл юбилей, в родното му място Шапкоград, десетият рожден ден на всяко дете съвпада и с едно важно събитие, което може да промени целия ти живот. Художникът Дейвид Уензел превръща и тази забавна история в запомнящо се и приказно илюстрирано преживяване. Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле":
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...

[A.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long but cute.

I read it to some of my kids, and they were riveted. Their only question, "What hat did Ivan get?"

To which I replied, "What do you think? What hat would YOU get?"

And that got their imaginations skyrocketing!

[Natalie Wenzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purpose and intentionality in every person created.

[Shaumbra Papritz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Max Lucado! Great story, fun characters and awesome illustrations!

[Sunny Petkova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Когато се опитваш да угодиш на всички, вредиш на себе си, а понякога и на околните. Бог знае какво ти е нужно и ти го дава точно, когато трябва. Той знае коя шапка ти пасва най-добре.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and funny for a kid. I picked up on a moral of the story based on Bible studies, though. Perhaps you can, too.

[Liam Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book about each person's own personality and that we are each uniquely made.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good message, but way WAY too long

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice, enjoyable Max Lucado style lesson, but not the symbolic depths of You are Special.

[Jenna Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was 23 when I was given this book, and still re-read it today. This is not only a wonderful book for children to subtly teach self-worth, but a wonderful book for adults that need reminding that they do not have to be solely the person that others want them to be.

[Kersten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a charming story with great pictures

[Frewcrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the message in this book!

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, great book ....the boys enjoy it

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ivan lives in Hatsville where everyone wears a hat based on their occupation. Now that Ivan is getting older everyone is giving Ivan a hat but none is quite right for Ivan.

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this book for a few kids at the girl's and boy's camp club. They enjoyed it as well.

[Horace Mann Family Reading Challenge · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many people give Ivan different types of hats. K.S.

[Alanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an amazing way to introduce career choices to children. My favorite part was the ending...

[ninotaziz ninotaziz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bedtime favourite.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every graduate should read this as they enter the world of who am I and what will I do with my life.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

nice art. be yourself, don't let others tell you who you are. nice lesson, weird reading it from a preacher though.

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good little story about not feeling obligated by other people's (unrealistic) expectations but instead finding your own way.

[Chapel Heights]

2 copies

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story with an underlying message that everyone needs to hear, child and adult alike.