Age Range: 5 - 8 years
Grade Level: Kindergarten - 3
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: 21st Century; 1 edition (September 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-0761351535

by Satoshi Kitamura (Author, Illustrator)

Millie loves hats, but she has no money and she can't afford to buy any of the lovely hats in town. But the man in the hat shop has an idea. He produces a box containing a hat too fine and beautiful to behold, but with the most perfect shape and colour imaginable, if Millie dares to imagine. Millie does dare, and soon she can not only see her own beautiful hat, but everyone else's hats as well.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3—When Millicent cannot afford the hat she sees in a store window, the clerk remembers that he has a special one that's perfect for her budget. This imaginary hat can be any size, shape, or color that she prefers. As she walks down the street wearing it, Millie is inspired. Soon she has a hat like a peacock, then a cake, next a flower, and then a fountain. In the park she discovers that everyone has a special hat. Back home she tells her parents all about her day and soon they too are sporting hats. Kitamura's idea and writing are solid, but his illustrations are not as successful as in his Duck Is Dirty (Farrar, 1996; o.p.) or UFO Diary (Andersen, 2007). For example, the store clerk is described as kindly but looks decidedly sour, and the cake hat is less than appetizing. Overall the book doesn't display a joyful burst of imagination.—Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH END


About the Author

Satoshi Kitamura was born in Tokyo and worked in advertising there before moving to London in 1980. He received New York Times Notable Book of the Year honors for his illustrations in A Boy Wants a Dinosaur and Ned and the Joybaloo. He is now one of the most distinguished illustrators in Britain, having created more than 20 books for children.