WHAT A HAT!

Henry and Wizzie are excited about having their cousin Newton visit, but they have mixed responses to his quirky behavior. Newton’s answer to every request for him to take off his hat is, “No hat.” He wears the striped, knit hat at dinner, in the bathtub, and even to bed. Henry alternates between force and persuasion as he tries to get Newton to remove the hat, but finally gives up and refuses to play with him. Wizzie’s more gentle character shines through as she accepts Newton for who he is. She even finds that she’s equally comforted by the special hat when Newton lends it to her to ease her own distress. Quiet watercolor-and-black-line illustrations of the extended bunny family are the perfect accompaniment to this story of friendship and acceptance. A somewhat bland tale, it takes Keller’s art to lift it beyond making a minor point. (Picture book. 4-7)