My Red Hat is a simple, sweet story that is about a grandfather that passes down his red hat to his granddaughter. The reader is taken upon a journey of what the hat will bring or offer to the young girl.  The hat offers protection from natural and human elements that the world brings;  an extension of her grandfather’s love and protection. An object that will hold memories and dreams.

The book is illustrated in the same muted colors of grey, blue with splashes of red on each page.  The duo is almost on every page of this book together except a few. These few pages are where the child is off exploring the world by herself while wearing the special hat.  In closing, she returns home to her grandfather; the illustration almost identical to the very first one in the book.  However, now as the new owner she wears the hat.   The message one can take away is that you can and must go out into the world and encounter many things, but home and family  will always be there for you.

This would be a lovely book to read in a story time setting or to young children in school.

Reviewed  by Amy Tobalske, Walker Memorial Library , Westbrook