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Hat
A boy and his mom happen upon a lone hat in the middle of the park. It's bright red, and fits 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.
A sparse, artistic picture book about a boy and his imagination, and his choice to do the right thing.
But what about Hat's owner? Maybe he or she needs Hat even more than Henry does.
A sparse, artistic picture book about a boy and his imagination, and his choice to do the right thing.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 31, 2009
1 person is currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Paul Hoppe
32 books7 followersPaul Hoppe and co-author Henry Johnson are the real life Travis and Freddy, all grown up.
They have made and lost a million dollars on Wall Street. They have played in the Little League World Series, extreme-skied the Rockies and the Alps, played a ham sandwich on HBO, and visited three of the seven Wonders of the World.
Paul lives in Massachusetts.
They have made and lost a million dollars on Wall Street. They have played in the Little League World Series, extreme-skied the Rockies and the Alps, played a ham sandwich on HBO, and visited three of the seven Wonders of the World.
Paul lives in Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
February 16, 2016
My son who is 7 actually recommended that I read and review this book. Apparently, he really enjoyed it.
A boy finds a hat on a bench and he imagines all kinds of uses for it until his mother gently suggests that perhaps someone else might need the hat more than he does. The story is sweet and cute and I like the idea of thinking of others before yourself.
A boy finds a hat on a bench and he imagines all kinds of uses for it until his mother gently suggests that perhaps someone else might need the hat more than he does. The story is sweet and cute and I like the idea of thinking of others before yourself.
March 28, 2012
3.5 STARS
When a little boy finds a hat on a park bench, his imagination soars as he thinks of all the uses he might have for it in various adventures. But his mother reminds him that other people might have use for the hat, too. The illustrations are so cute--I wasn't expecting much based on the cover, but the inside illustrations are wonderful, full of humor and an old-fashioned charm (like some of the original I Can Read books from the 60s). I like the imagination shown here, and also the idea of sharing, but somehow the story didn't completely win me over.
When a little boy finds a hat on a park bench, his imagination soars as he thinks of all the uses he might have for it in various adventures. But his mother reminds him that other people might have use for the hat, too. The illustrations are so cute--I wasn't expecting much based on the cover, but the inside illustrations are wonderful, full of humor and an old-fashioned charm (like some of the original I Can Read books from the 60s). I like the imagination shown here, and also the idea of sharing, but somehow the story didn't completely win me over.
June 6, 2017
First sentence: One day, Henry found a hat. "Can I keep it? Hat would be so cool!" Hat protects from the sun. Hat keeps off the rain. Hat is great for catching mice and performing magic tricks.
Premise/plot: Henry finds a hat on a park bench one day. He wants it as he imagines that it would be awesome to have. Henry has a BIG imagination. Hat--as seen through Henry's eyes--is anything but ordinary. Will Henry take the hat? Or will he leave it on the bench?
My thoughts: I love this one. I love, love, love the illustrations. I love the story and the writing. I love the joyfulness of this one boy's imagination. One of my favorite scenes in the book is..."Hat saves Henry's life." In the illustration, readers see a smug looking Henry. An alligator (or perhaps crocodile?!) has been foiled from eating Henry by this awesome red hat you see in its jaws. But I think what I love most of all is how we revisit all his original ideas in a new way after his mom asks him, "But, Henry, what if someone else needs this hat?"
Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10
Premise/plot: Henry finds a hat on a park bench one day. He wants it as he imagines that it would be awesome to have. Henry has a BIG imagination. Hat--as seen through Henry's eyes--is anything but ordinary. Will Henry take the hat? Or will he leave it on the bench?
My thoughts: I love this one. I love, love, love the illustrations. I love the story and the writing. I love the joyfulness of this one boy's imagination. One of my favorite scenes in the book is..."Hat saves Henry's life." In the illustration, readers see a smug looking Henry. An alligator (or perhaps crocodile?!) has been foiled from eating Henry by this awesome red hat you see in its jaws. But I think what I love most of all is how we revisit all his original ideas in a new way after his mom asks him, "But, Henry, what if someone else needs this hat?"
Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10
May 14, 2019
This was the favorite of the books I read to Alena today. I like the illustrations. I like that it shows the consequences that might happen if the boy takes the hat. I'd like to read more by this author.
January 31, 2012
When Henry finds a big, red hat on a park bench, he begins to think of all the benefits of having a hat like this: it could be a sled in the snow, it could protect him from sunburn, it could keep him dry in the rain, he could use it to catch mice, and so much more! Rather than simply telling Henry that the hat is not his to take, his mother uses some creativity of her own to help him see that someone else may need the hat--a boy on a snowy day, a lifeguard in the sun, a fancy girl dripping wet--and Henry thinks about them all before he decides to leave the hat on the bench. Children will enjoy the humorous situations Henry imagines and the illustrations alive with bold strokes and blocks of color. The mother's quick thinking addresses right and wrong while avoiding overt didactism, making this small story an excellent choice for opening discussions with children on why "finders keepers, losers weepers" is not the best policy.
On an entirely different topic: When I was in high school I took a creative writing class. One day our teacher asked us to list on the board every single use for a fork we could think of. Ummm...eating...that's all. He wouldn't accept that answer and challenged us to think outside the box. By the end of the period, the entire board was filled with uses for a fork. The only one I still remember was one my best friend came up with: a sled for a mouse.
This book reminded me of that day in creative writing class, and I think it could be used in exactly the same way, to inspire outside-the-box thinking for writing assignments.
On an entirely different topic: When I was in high school I took a creative writing class. One day our teacher asked us to list on the board every single use for a fork we could think of. Ummm...eating...that's all. He wouldn't accept that answer and challenged us to think outside the box. By the end of the period, the entire board was filled with uses for a fork. The only one I still remember was one my best friend came up with: a sled for a mouse.
This book reminded me of that day in creative writing class, and I think it could be used in exactly the same way, to inspire outside-the-box thinking for writing assignments.
June 19, 2019
Henry finds a hat on a bench. “Can I keep it? Hat would be so cool!” Henry imagines all the things that the hat could help him do: stay dry in the rain, perform magic tricks, catch mice, sled down hills, make him a star and even save his life. “But, Henry, what if someone else needs this hat?” Henry again ponders what might happen if a person didn’t have this hat. In the end, he decides to leave the hat right where it is.
Henry chooses to be kind and selfless, a message that students can always benefit from hearing. It would make a good discussion for younger students.
Henry chooses to be kind and selfless, a message that students can always benefit from hearing. It would make a good discussion for younger students.
April 16, 2019
Very nice little book. It's a good starter for a conversation on how other people may need something more than you do. Good thing for kids to think about, since they do seem to have trouble thinking of others. Actually, many adults have the same problem. Maybe this should be required reading...
April 13, 2018
Love the color scheme in this book.
December 18, 2019
Wonderful lesson about leaving things where one finds them.
January 26, 2022
good for littles
imaginative
imaginative
July 29, 2022
Too simple and cheesy.
October 27, 2022
A fantastic book to start the dialogue of consequences of actions and the needs of others for younger children.
February 2, 2016
Summary - Hat is a sweet story about a little boy by the name of Henry. One day while walking in the park with his mother Henry finds a hat. He thinks of all the ways this hat could help him if he took it. It would protect him from the sun, the rain, help with magic tricks, save his life from alligators and so much more. His mother though reminds him that someone else might need this hat more than he does. Like maybe a girl taking a walk on a rainy day or a lifeguard needing protection from the sun or a magician that has lost his magic hat. Henry walks away from the hat and leaves it for someone else who needs it more than he does.
Theme - I think the theme of this book is to always remember that there is someone out there less fortunate than you that needs something more than you do.
Rating - 5 out of 5
Personal Response - Being human I think we often forget how fortunate we are and how many less fortunate people are out there. I often struggle with things I want instead of focusing on things I actually need and this story really made a cute point to show that you don't always need what you think you do.
Why I recommend this book - I believe children have a problem with differentiating with wanting and needing things. Children often want everything they see, whether it be a new toy or a candy at the gas station. This book could be a really great tool for teaching children that they don't always NEED something, often it's just something they WANT. Teaching this lesson at a young age could really help children in the long run understand that there is always someone out there that needs something more than they do and to appreciate all the things they have.
Theme - I think the theme of this book is to always remember that there is someone out there less fortunate than you that needs something more than you do.
Rating - 5 out of 5
Personal Response - Being human I think we often forget how fortunate we are and how many less fortunate people are out there. I often struggle with things I want instead of focusing on things I actually need and this story really made a cute point to show that you don't always need what you think you do.
Why I recommend this book - I believe children have a problem with differentiating with wanting and needing things. Children often want everything they see, whether it be a new toy or a candy at the gas station. This book could be a really great tool for teaching children that they don't always NEED something, often it's just something they WANT. Teaching this lesson at a young age could really help children in the long run understand that there is always someone out there that needs something more than they do and to appreciate all the things they have.
May 17, 2016
Don't let the size and apparent simplicity of this picture book fool you - this lovely story is loaded with fun and terrific messages for kids. A little boy finds a hat on a park bench and he tells his mom how awesome that hat would be: he names the ways this hat could be useful, including sun protection, cover from the rain (reminding me of the urban sombrero), a boat, a sled and many more. Instead of recoiling with warnings about head lice (like I would do), the mother gently reminds him of all the folks that might be needing and missing the hat. The book kind of reminds me of "Not a Stick" and "Not a Box" by Antoinette Portis. This book could be a great springboard for creative ideas of how a hat might be used. Lots of great ideas in this cutely illustrated book!
November 30, 2010
K-1st
Henry a young boy on a walk though the park with his mother finds a hat. This hat brought his imagination to life. He though of all the things he could do with this hat and all the places he could go with it. Henry is so happy. Henry's mother reminds him that this is not his hat and before taking something that is not his he should think of others. Henry does and ends up leaving the hat behind.
For young readers this book has a great story line. Henry's adventure with his imagination keeps the reader reading. When introducing stories to young readers Henry's adventure is a good start.
Henry a young boy on a walk though the park with his mother finds a hat. This hat brought his imagination to life. He though of all the things he could do with this hat and all the places he could go with it. Henry is so happy. Henry's mother reminds him that this is not his hat and before taking something that is not his he should think of others. Henry does and ends up leaving the hat behind.
For young readers this book has a great story line. Henry's adventure with his imagination keeps the reader reading. When introducing stories to young readers Henry's adventure is a good start.
May 5, 2009
This starts out as sort of a "Not a box" "Not a stick" kind of book but then it turns around and makes you think and share. Really tricky how it added a character trait but it did and I liked it. A decent easy-reader that encourages imagination. For me, a little TOO "spare" as the description says. The art is a little too tranquil and the ending a little too flat. Nice try, but just not as good as it could have been. Ages 4+
April 7, 2011
This book can teach the idea of eclipse wonderfully. A boy finds a hat in a bench and starts to think about all the things he can use the hat for. His mother then asks him what if someone else needs it (instead of telling him to leave it in the bench). The story ends with an eclipse, and the last page shows what the boy does with the hat without words. Writers can end their story using the same technique Paul Hoppe did in this book.
May 2, 2009
This is a clever and funny early reader. In my experience it is uncommon to see an early reader book for this audience (4-7 year olds) have a strong plot; and that's not surprising, because with so little text, it's hard to make something happen! But this book really does have a plot that is actually fun and original.
April 12, 2009
This starts out as sort of a "Not a box" "Not a stick" kinda book but then it turns around and makes you think and share. Really tricky how it added a character trait but it did and I liked it. I will enjoy giving this to families who really charish imagination. Ages 2+
September 16, 2009
I liked this simple little book with stylized and well done illustrations. A little boy finds a hat and decides he would like it, but after thinking about all the myriad adventures one could have with a hat he decides to leave it for the person who lost it.
April 16, 2010
This book is definitely simplistic, but something about it tickled me from the very first reading. The kids kept wanting me to read it over and over again, and I didn't mind in the least. I think it's wonderful.
March 7, 2011
Child wants to take home hat he finds at the park. He thinks of all the fun things he can use the hat for. Caregiver points out all stuff hat could be used for by person who possibly lost hat. funny pictures. good book to use for imagination.
April 5, 2013
What if?? There's a lot to think about in this book. This is a great book to use to explore the lost and found concept. Pair it with "Who Took the Farmer's Hat?" for a story time about hats or lost/found. Simple illustrations.
September 15, 2013
Simple and clear text with illustrations that add to the meaning make this a great book for for young children, a book that helps discuss the dilemma of finding something, this time a hat, and understanding that it needs to be left behind for the owner. It isn’t ‘finders-keepers’ after all.
April 4, 2009
Cute imagination related book
April 22, 2009
Cute book, but leaves out the fact that it isn't such a good idea to go picking up random hats in a park and putting them on your head. Ick.
May 2, 2009
A little TOO "spare" as the description says. The art is a little too tranquil and the ending a little too flat. Nice try, but just not as good as it could have been.
June 3, 2009
I like the chaiasmic (Okay, I don't know how to spell that word) form used in this story.
July 14, 2009
boy finds hat on bench, imagines all the things he can do with it, thinks about who might need it, returns it to bench.
November 25, 2009
I think I can identify with this boy's mother.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews