{"id":42264,"date":"2023-05-29T21:47:56","date_gmt":"2023-05-30T01:47:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=42264"},"modified":"2023-05-29T21:50:43","modified_gmt":"2023-05-30T01:50:43","slug":"review-of-very-good-hats-by-emma-straub-illustrated-by-blanca-gomez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=42264","title":{"rendered":"Review of Very Good Hats, by Emma Straub, illustrated by Blanca G\u00f3mez"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Very Good Hats<\/em><\/p>\n

by Emma Straub
\nillustrated by Blanca G\u00f3mez<\/p>\n

Rocky Pond Books (Penguin Random House), 2023. 32 pages.
\nReview written February 28, 2023, from a library book.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

If you’ve ever been around a toddler or small child, some time or other you’ve played a game that explores the concept of What is a hat?<\/em> This book puts that silly game into a picture book.<\/p>\n

The first page challenges the reader:<\/p>\n

Do you know what a hat is?<\/p>\n

I bet you think<\/em> you know what a hat is.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And yes, the next page starts with a haberdashery (okay, I didn’t expect that), but it goes on to acorn caps as hats for your fingers and books as hats for people with excellent posture.<\/p>\n

Bubbles make very fine hats, if temporary.
\nA crown is a hat for a queen, but flowers can be too.<\/p>\n

The roof is the house’s hat, and a lid is a pot’s hat.
\nEveryone knows that.<\/p>\n

Pajama pants make for a dangly hat,
\nand towels are twirly hats, majestic as a unicorn.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I think my favorite spread is this one:<\/p>\n

Empty bowls work, but you have to make sure they’re empty first,
\notherwise you might have a soup hat instead.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I also enjoy this question, which I’d never thought about before:<\/p>\n

If a turtle can tuck its head into its shell,
\ndoes that make its shell a hat?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And yes, the illustrations all add to the seriously silly fun.<\/p>\n

emmastraub.net<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/very_good_hats.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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