10/01/2016
Toddler-PreS—A true-to-life tale of the struggles of getting a toddler ready to leave the house, this story stars a jovial tot who dons numerous hats and takes them off as he readies himself to go play. His pigtailed older sister attempts to help him put his coat, hat, and shoes on, but wait, he has to go to the bathroom, and the hat must come off. Once his sister dresses him again, "Where is bunny?" The current hat must come off as they search for the bunny. Finally dressed and in his stroller, he ends up wearing the same hat he started with, only to take it off as soon as he gets outside. Heras and Benoit tell a story that every parent will relate to, using toddler-friendly language and soft watercolor illustrations. The patterns of each hat are subtly woven into the narrative as a backdrop to many of the pages that contain text. VERDICT Recounting the delights and trials of toddlerhood, this charming offering makes for a fun read-aloud to share one-on-one or with a small group.—Kristen Todd-Wurm, Middle Country Public Library, NY
2016-06-28
What parent or caregiver hasn’t played the game of putting on and taking off a piece of clothing with a baby?Heras and Benoit cleverly take that experience and knit it into a story with a cute brown-skinned toddler getting ready to go outside with a pigtailed older sibling’s help with shoes and jacket sleeves. Sippy cup, pail and shovel, potty stop, and favorite stuffed animal are all required as well, but with each step the child takes one hat off and then puts another back on. The tot cycles through a hat with a bear’s face and ears, a striped hat with a pom-pom, a penguin hat with tassels, a green, knobbly hat with frog’s eyes, before returning to the bear hat—which ends up in a pile of leaves as soon as the children finally get outside. Even Bunny wears a hat (with carrots on it, of course). “Time to go out! / Need a hat. // Hats in basket / Red hat, green hat, striped hat / Which hat?” The staccato phrases are extended by the charming watercolor-and-digital illustrations that bleed off the page, creating an intimate, up-close effect. Soft colors and background patterns of knitted yarn (which only adults will notice) add a cozy feeling to the text pages. Heavyweight paper and rounded corners will help little hands to turn the pages easily. A seemingly simple story is greatly enhanced by nuanced, toddler-friendly details. (Picture book. 1-3)
Praise for Hat On, Hat Off
2023 Carnegie Library Of Pittsburgh Best Books for Babies List Selection
2017 Jbrary "2017 Favourite Storytime Picture Books" selection
2017 Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens selection
2016 School Library Journal blog A Fuse #8 Production by Betsy Bird: "2016 Great Board Books" selection
2016 Resource Links "The Year's Best" selection
"...Staccato phrases are extended by the charming watercolor-and-digital illustrations that bleed off the page, creating an intimate, up-close effect. Soft colors and background patterns of knitted yarn (which only adults will notice) add a cozy feeling to the text pages. Heavyweight paper and rounded corners will help little hands to turn the pages easily. A seemingly simple story is greatly enhanced by nuanced, toddler-friendly details."—Kirkus Reviews
"Heras and Benoit tell a story that every parent will relate to, using toddler-friendly language and soft watercolor illustrations. The patterns of each hat are subtly woven into the narrative as a backdrop to many of the pages that contain text. VERDICT Recounting the delights and trials of toddlerhood, this charming offering makes for a fun read-aloud to share one-on-one or with a small group."—School Library Journal
"The simple and repetitive language used throughout the book works well for children who are just learning to speak...The illustrations do a great job of giving visual cues for children to follow along with. Overall, Hat On, Hat Off is a lovely little book for young children and parents."—CM Magazine
“This is a great book for toddlers. The illustrations sweetly invoke the textures of clothing itself…. an important board book that empathizes with the lived experiences of young children who get dressed every single day. Highly Recommended”—Catherine-Laura Dunnington, CM Magazine
"Hat On, Hat Off is a wonderful read-a-loud title for young children that should be incorporated into library and classroom collections without hesitation."—Resource Links
"Renné Benoit's softly hued, realistic watercolour illustrations extend Theo Heras's simple, conversational text....The book's design is very appealing to little hands, with a soft padded cover, and rounded corners. Infinitely relatable, Hat On, Hat Off is a warm, slice-of-life adventure that is perfect for sharing."—National Reading Campaign
"Theo Heras uses spare and simple language to tell a story that toddlers and preschoolers (and certainly their parents and caregivers) are sure to recognize....From the assortment of fun and funky hats piled up in a basket to the facial expressions of the toddler in question, [Renné] Benoit demonstrates an eye for details that matter."—Canadian Children's Book News
"Theo Heras' text is not complex but that makes it easy to follow for those for whom Hat On, Hat Off is written, and the book is appropriately packaged for them: small size with padded hardcover, thick paper and rounded corners. Young children will...especially be hooked by Renné Benoit's endearing illustrations....[A] joyful experience of style and taste and childish amusement."—CanLit for LittleCanadians
"All libraries [should buy this book]"—Youth Services Book Review
“This simple story of a young child getting ready to go outside and play on a cooler day is a very relatable everyday activity….The soft colors keep the event light-hearted and sweet….The sturdy cover and thicker pages are perfect for a newly independent child to hold and turn the pages.”—YA Books Central
