Hat Cat

by Troy Wilson, Eve Coy (Illustrator)

When Hat the cat's doting human friend doesn't come home for a while, will a young visitor offer the lonely kitty a taste of freedom? A gentle, touching story for cat lovers of all ages.

Ever since the old man found a little kitten under his hat, the two have been the best of friends. There are always plenty of kitty rubs and food and talk to go around. Every day, Hat watches as the old man goes outside to sit and feed the squirrels with nuts he places on top of his hat. But Hat the cat is not allowed to join him. What if Hat ran away, or chased the squirrels--or worse? Then the old man leaves and does not come back the next day, or the one after that. When people come by to take care of Hat until the old man returns, will one little girl give Hat the chance he's been hoping for? Troy Wilson's tender prose, along with Eve Coy's charmingly detailed illustrations, brings readers a sweet story about companionship, love, and trust.

Genres: Picture Books, Cats, Animals, Childrens, Friendship, Fiction, Family

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2004

About the author

Author of 10 picture books, including STILL FRIENDS, HAT CAT, and PERFECT MAN.

Reviews

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horrifying to read because I am an adult aware of some of the horrible things that can happen in the world. When the old man doesn't feed the cat, I was alarmed. And when the cat got out, I was alarmed. And when the cat got out again, I was alarmed. Of course it all works out fine, but it might not have.

I'm curious if there are kids who would leap to the worst case like that. One hopes not.

Library copy

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every day, Hat Cat's human, an elderly man, would place some peanuts in the crown of his hat and go outside, where he would sit under a tree and wait for the squirrels to come to eat their treats. One day, he find a kitten hiding under his hat and takes it home. Hat, as the kitten is called, is doted on by his human, but Hat is never allowed to go outside. His human is afraid Hat would run away or scare away the squirrels. When his human suddenly disappears for days, a Black woman and her daughter arrive daily to feed Hat and give him belly rubs. When Hat manages to escape one day, the daughter realizes he is looking for his human. Finally, the elderly man returns, and it is clear he has had some kind of health issue. When he heads outside with the mother and daughter, Hat is finally allowed to join them. The realistic watercolor and colored pencil illustrations in a bright, colorful palette capture the affection between human and cat, and all their different emotions - from surprise to happy and playful to scared and finally happy again. This is a story that may help young readers understand and feel empathy for their elderly relatives and neighbors.

[Susan Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet! An old man finds a cat and they become the best of friends. But one day the man doesn't come home... Started out sad, but all is OK by the end. A winner for cat fans!

[Mireille Messier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and cleverly sparse text. Gentleness and love just radiate off the page.
I'm not sure how I feel about the idea that leaving a cat indoors is somehow "wrong" (I have 5 indoor cats!) but I can appreciate what the author was trying to do.

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

old man adopts kitten and one day doesn't come back home. it ends happily (i guess he's in the hospital?) but I didn't enjoy the feeling of my stomach drop because you automatically believe he died and this damn cat is abandoned. hate.

[Heather Stigall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sweet story is about a man, a cat named Hat, and a yard full of peanut-loving squirrels. The man loves Hat, but doesn’t let him out, for fear he will leave or chase the squirrels…or worse. But, one day, the man isn’t there to love Hat or feed the squirrels. Then someone new comes along, and Hat gets the chance to go out. You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens next, but I promise you will be treated to a heartfelt conclusion. Eve Coy’s charming watercolor and pencil illustrations are perfectly suited for Troy Wilson’s simple, yet heartwarming text. You won’t want to miss this lovely, emotional story about trust and friendship.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 5 out of 5]

An old man befriends the squirrels in his yard and feeds them. When he finds a kitten, he names it Hat. The old man keeps the kitten in the house, so that it won't chase the squirrels or run away. One day Hat gets a chance to sneak out the door, but will he really chase squirrels or run away?

This is such an adorable book! The old man is so sweet and comfortable. The perfect old grandpa dude! There is something so charming about this simple story. The writing has a way of inviting the reader into a special secret, so that we feel very close to the old man and to Hat.

I appreciated that there are diverse characters in this book too. A mother and daughter arrive to help the old man, and they are like a breath of fresh air in Hat's old routine.

I love the soft style of the artwork. The illustrations are very soothing and warm, like comfort food on a rainy day. The little details of the old man's house really tell a lot about his character. He has lots of plants and shelves of books. He drinks endless cups of steaming hot tea from a cute teapot with matching teacups and saucers. Every day he wears a tie, a vest, and a suitcoat. His kitchen is spic and span. The art tells the story just as much as the words do!

What a wonderful book! I wish this old man was my grandpa! I wish Hat was my pet!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

An elderly man who lives alone is feeding the squirrels when a cat crawls into his hat and becomes his new friend, sticking around even when the man disappears for a little while.

The cool, light colors in this book give it a gentle, spring-time feel. The man's affectionate looks at the cat beautifully portray the joy the animal brings to his life. By contrast, when the man seems to be missing, the cat's face and posture help emphasize the cat's feelings of uncertain sadness.

This is such a sweet story, not just about a man and his cat, but also about neighbors who step up to care for the cat during the man's apparent time of illness. It would be a great addition to a story time about pets, friendship, hats, or cats.

This book gave me strong Mr. Putter and Tabby vibes, but with a touch more sentimentality. No one dies in the book, but really sensitive kids might worry about that and get upset, so it's probably a good idea to be aware of that. I really like the way this book respects the dignity of older people and allows the man to return to his own home rather than taking the cliche route and relegating him to a nursing home. For that reason, I'm keeping it for our home library.

I received a finished review copy of Hat Cat in exchange for an honest review.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was about to be SAD if the old man had died...

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story and beautiful illustrations.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cutest little friendship between an old man and a kitten you'll ever see! The illustrations are soft and darling. Little kitten wants to be able to got outside when the old man feeds the squirrels, but he always gets left inside. Heartwarming and cute!

[Michele Knott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a sweet and touching story! Young readers will fall in love with the sweet cat, Hat, and his elderly owner.

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story of an elderly man who feeds the birds every day and finds a kitten who he takes in as his own. The story of fear of loss, actual loss, and the feelings that go with these emotions, the story ends on a warm, lovely note. Sweet illustrations by Eve Coy.

[Elizabeth]

This one tugged at my heart!

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

One day, while an old man was feeding squirrels in his yard, he found a kitten in his hat. He named the kitten Hat and took him inside. However, he wouldn’t let the kitten back outside because he was worried that Hat would get hurt or lost. Then the old man disappeared. Hat had to adjust to the new people who visited to look after him, and possibly go outside again.

This was an adorable picture book. I love cats! My family has just brought a kitten into our home, but we’ve looked after outdoor cats in our yard for many years. I could understand the kitten’s desire to go outside, because our outdoor cats love exploring the yard!

My heart broke a little when the old man disappeared from Hat’s life. I felt so bad for the kitten because he didn’t know where the man went. We’ve lost many cats and kittens in the years that we’ve looked after so I know how devastating it can be when the cats lose someone close to them and they don’t understand. Luckily, the man and the cat were eventually reunited.

Hat Cat is a beautiful story for cat lovers!

Thank you Candlewick Press for providing a copy of this book.

[Diane D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a touching story about growing old and caring for other living things both human and animals.

We meet a lonely, elderly man who lives alone. He enjoys the simple pleasures like leaving peanuts for the squirrels and watching them feast from his front porch. One day the man realizes that he forgot to bring his hat inside and he finds a small kitten nestled underneath. The old man begins feeding the kitten and even names him Hat. The cat named Hat becomes an indoor cat but misses its outdoor life. When the man goes away for a bit and Hat seems to have been left alone. I feared this story was moving to a dark place, perhaps too dark for young children but, it did not. While the man is away the neighbors step in to care for the cat until the man eventually returns home.

The colorful illustrations are well done and quite sweet, I liked the story about companionship and helping others in need.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An older man loves the squirrels, puts some peanuts in the top of his hat every day, sits quietly as they come to greet him and have a snack. One day, reaching for the hat after the visit, he finds a surprise, a tiny cat. What happens after that shows lots of love though not very much trust as the man and the cat navigate their relationship. Then, it all stops for both. How a good ending happens, I'll leave for readers to discover. Eve Coy illustrates Troy Wilson's story inspired by his own grandfather in a lovely range of bright colors. I'd love to read this to a group to hear the discussion!
Thanks to Candlewick Press for this copy!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK WAS SO PRECIOUS. I loved the relationship the old man had with the squirrels and the cat too. The cat's relationship with the old man was precious and I loved every bit of it. The illustrations are awesome and the story is just so sweet. The book has a happy and sweet ending despite the middle of the book where you might get worried. Also, I loved how the old man named the cat, Hat. Brilliant.

SPOILERS AHEAD:


At first I thought the old man died when he didn't come home for days, but OMG I'M SO HAPPY HE DIDN'T DIE. He came back so I'm assuming maybe he went to get some medical care or who knows.

[DC Canada Education Publishing · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Hat Cat by Troy Wilson, Grandpa goes out to feed the squirrels all the time, setting peanuts on his hat and waiting for the woodland creatures to approach him. But one day, he finds a kitten under his hat and names it… Hat! The antics of the adorable little kitten and the serenity of the old man balance out the touching story. Author Troy Wilson writes about this loving duo to honour the memory of his own grandfather, Tom Richmond. Honestly, I teared up a little while reading this heartwarming tale!

Read the full review here: https://www.dc-canada.ca/blog/book-re...

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was adorable, though my sister panicked when the old man was gone for several days. She totally thought he had died. He didn't.. Even if this had been a book about dying and grief, I don't think it would have made it to print if the worst had happened like a cat eating a dead people's face. I'm sure that was edited out in the first round. And suddenly, I can totally see my sister writing a children's story except it's way to blinking dark, so I help edit into something you actually want to read to your kids. Is this intrusive thoughts or just an active imagination?

[Barbra · Rating 3 out of 5]

An old man who loves to feed the squirrels one day finds a cat under his hat. The old man loves the cat so much he can not bear to loose him so he keeps the cat inside and doesn't let him come with him when he continues to feed the squirrels. However one day the old man does not return and cat has new people visit him and care for him. When finally the old man returns the cat knows he could never leave. With beautiful soft illustrations this story touches the heart of the reader and perhaps will open up conversation about aging, loss and loving.

[Nikki Bergstresser · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s something comforting about books during these times. Now more than ever, children need to be surrounded by books and the power in a story.
As soon as I saw Hat Cat written by Troy Wilson, illustrated by Eve Coy and published with Candlewick Press, I was drawn to the story. The first line, “An old man lived alone...” had my heart. Then I found out he fed squirrels from his hat! I’m a sucker for squirrels. The found friendship with a kitten he named Hat is enduring. It’s a wonderful book for discussions on caring for others.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friendly old man goes out each day with peanuts on his hat for the neighborhood squirrels-- but one day there's a kitten hiding under his hat! The old man aptly names his new cat Hat, and lets Hat get away with almost anything... almost. Hat Cat pulled at my heartstrings like a kitten's ball of yarn; a little bit of ache comes with a sweet, happy ending for Hat and his human.

[Brandon Dyer (Children's Librarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An emotional and heart warming story about an old lonely man and a cat he accidently fostered when sitting outside trying to feed birds from his hat. This picture books shows the bonds that humans make towards our furry animal friends and how important they are to our physical and mental state. Any animal lover will enjoy this story and will hug their furry friend while reading this book.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hat Cat is a delightful story that tugs at your heartstrings.

I've been waiting to read this, and it was the perfect way to start a long weekend.

I recommend this for parents and teachers who want to encourage questions - which, I hope, we all do!

Thank you, Troy Wilson and Eve Coy, for this beautiful book.

[Jessica Whipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hat Cat is an excellent book for dealing with grandparents' life stage changes. I enjoyed that this book doesn't reveal everything right away. The writing and illustrations draw readers into the life of the main character, such that readers are invested in his story all the way through. It's a very warm, tender book.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Troy Wilson & Eve Coy’s new picture book Hat Cat is a story of trust & friendship, & with a huge focus on #SEL in school, there aren’t many picture books in our collections with this theme. Grateful for this darling #kidlit story!

[Tara Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this children's picture book. What a great way to introduce hard feelings to children and just as rewarding for the adults reading along. I liked this book so much that I had the inclination to want to read it twice in one sitting.

[Susan Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exceptionally sweet and subtle and understated tale of an elderly man, a young cat, and patient squirrels. The cat has to process the possible loss of the man who has taken him in. A quiet and very satisfying tale of trust in so many ways.

[Bethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not much of a cat person, but this is a delightful story of an old man who likes squirrels and a kitten he found in his hat. It gets a little touchy in the middle, but everything works out in the end.