ZOE’S HATS

A fresh and funny way to look at colors and patterns stars a winsome heroine. Red-haired Zoe appears on each page from the shoulders up, and this round-faced, rosy-cheeked urchin wears a different hat on each. The minimal text mostly limits itself to an adjective and the noun hat, but manages a bit of a bounce to it anyway, “Red hat / blue hat / polka-dot zoo hat.” The red hat is Santa’s, the orange hat the top half of a cat costume, and the stripes are clearly a pair of upside-down underwear. Someone’s swimming cap, a colander, and a violet confection with a veil also make an appearance. All of the headgear returns at the end so that youngsters can practice their color and pattern recognition. The colors are bright and clear and the whole is simply topping. (Picture book. 3-6)