Harold Loves His Woolly Hat

Harold, a stumpy bear with light amber fur and quizzical eyebrows, wears his red-and-yellow hat everywhere, "even in the summertime... even when he takes his monthly bath." The hat, Kousky (The Blue Songbird) explains, helps Harold know that he is special--"different from all the other bears." Then a crow flies off with it. "How will anyone know that I am a very special bear?" Harold proffers worms and berries and shiny objects to trade, which the crow promptly confiscates ("Cawcaw!"). The views of the crow flying off with Harold's treats provide moments of drama, but despite Harold's wee cuteness, he's no shrinking violet. Not even the loneliness of the forest, whose tall, stately trees are painted in stark browns and grays, deters him, and he shouts at the crow in big, upper-case letters. Only when Harold climbs the crow's tree does he discover the crucial use to which the hat has been put. What really changes things for him isn't the discovery of his hat's fate but the sudden appearance of companionship and a sense of feeling needed. Ages 3-7. Agent: Elana Roth Parker, Laura Dail Literary. (Dec.)

PreS-Gr 2--This delightful story deals with problem-solving and identity in an accessible and appealing way. Harold knows he is a special bear because of his well-loved woolly hat, so when a crow steals it, he has to get it back. After attempting a series of trades, Harold loses his cool and attempts to steal it back, only to discover that three baby crows are nesting inside it. At that, he realizes that he is a special (and helpful!) bear even without the hat, and helps the crow care for her babies. Harold is an appealing, expressive character, and a perfect stand-in for his maturing preschool audience. The mixed-media illustrations are spare and reminiscent of Jon Klassen's style, incorporating a mix of spot art, full-page images, and spreads. Harold has oval eyes, an oversize head, and a round nose, and his hat is large, red-and-orange striped, with a pom-pom on top. The book's trim is tall and slender, emphasizing the smallness of Harold and the height of the tree containing the crow's nest. When the little bear finally loses his temper, he suddenly fills the whole page, his face red, with his shouted words in enormous font filling the facing page. The text is spare, with not a word wasted, perfectly capturing a child's sensibility. VERDICT This selection works equally well as a group or one-on-one read-aloud, and would even be effective for newly independent readers. All libraries should make space on their shelves for Harold.--Amy Lilien-Harper, Greenwich Library, CT