The Hat Book

Pam and her friend Dan try to catch a wayward hat in this Green Light Reader from popular illustrator Holly Keller.

Mary Hynes-Berry - Children's Literature

As part of turning it into a title in the "Green Light Readers" series, this simple story has been packaged with follow-up questions and activities and a note to parents. The text is suitable for very new readers. It tells the story of Dan helping Pam find her lost hat. In each spread, one page has a single line 3 or 4 word sentence, using only 12 easily-decodable words in total. The facing page is illustrated with boldly-colored, simple illustrations that closely match the text. Clearly this series has been carefully designed for parents anxious to support their new readers in a way that reflects current trends in early literacy. The books are leveled according to Reading Recovery and Harcourt's own system and the activities are very low-key. The follow-up questions at the end of the story do not just test literal recall but include queries that invite the readers to make connections between themselves and the story. It is refreshing to see that the five tips to help one's child become a reader include both having fun and making sure that the child sees adults reading. 2005, Harcourt Books, Ages 4 to 6.