The Elf's Hat [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

by Brigitte Weninger (Author), John A. Rowe (Illustrator) "One fine day an elf went for a walk..." (more)
Key Phrases: lumpy hat

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1-Home is where the hat is for the eight woodland creatures that find it lying on the forest floor. Reminiscent of Jan Brett's The Mitten (Putnam, 1989), this wonderful adaptation of a popular Ukrainian folktale relates what becomes of an unsuspecting elf's hat after a low-lying branch knocks it off his head. Although those who move into the red cap range in size from a mouse to a bear, hospitality reigns supreme-until a presumptuous flea nibbles her way inside without even asking. A collective "NOOOOOO!" fills the hat and its inhabitants flee. The flea finds herself living alone until the clueless elf returns to claim his lost hat. Weninger creates good rhythm by using patterned language and short sentences. Children will love knowing what comes next as each new resident wanna-be chants, "A home-in-a-hat? Imagine that!/-Hello in there./Do you have some room to spare?" Rowe's caricaturelike illustrations reflect the humor of the tale. The wide white margins offer additional visual treats, such as animal tracks, bugs, worms, seed pods, etc. Vibrant colors depict the accommodating friends. This catchy read-aloud is a treat for the eyes.
Susan Garland, Maynard Public Library, MA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
When an elf loses his hat in the forest, it's the animals' gain: "A home in a hat? Imagine that ... " say intrigued passersby, including a frog, a hare, a wolf, and a bear. All move in, and all is well until a flea sneaks in, sending the everyone else running. Soon after, the elf finds his hat, oblivious to its tiny new inhabitant. Kids will enjoy the cumulative nature of the story and the idea of the impossibly expanding hat, and the simple, bouncy prose and rhyming refrain make the book good for read aloud. The large gray text is sometimes difficult to read against the glossy white pages, but it seems to work with the lively, richly colored, detailed pictures, with insects and a variety of little creatures providing unusual interactive borders. There are no lessons to learn here--except, perhaps, inspect your hat before putting it on. A light, amusing read, with lots of visual interest. Shelle Rosenfeld
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 36 pages
• Publisher: North-South Books (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735815682
• ISBN-13: 978-0735815681
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,419,484 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun Christmas diversion, December 4, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Elf's Hat (Hardcover)

My son recieved this book as a gift, and it's a good choice for the child aged 3-5. It's a cumulative story, with plenty of repetition as a new animal discovers the hat on each page. It has a really cute surprise ending. The illustrations are really imaginitive, with many odd and tiny details to discover for the inquisitive tot. Actually I'd say the oddness and sophistication of the illustrations may appeal more to adults, but they are beautiful and fun for kids too.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent story and illustrations, November 20, 2003

By A Customer

We just love this book. The illustrations are vivid, fun and humorous. My 1 and half year old gets into the animals sounds. It is an easy and enjoyable read. We find ourselves laughing as the hat grows.

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!, May 19, 2004

By A Customer

Awesome illustrations and tale. Our whole family loves making the animal sounds with each new animal entering the hat and finally the NO for the teeny-weeny flea.