Hooray for Hat! by Brian Won (2014).
Ever been grumpy? This book will address that. It’s practically the definition of joy.
Each animal character starts out in a grumpy mood, signified by a black scribble above his head. What helps every single one dump the grumps? A hat! From a friend!
click image(s) to enlarge
I love this picture book for its pops of color. For its wild hat(s). For the way it celebrates the true uplift of friendship and kindness. For its perfect design and beautiful type. For the way that original stacked-up-amazing hat appears in a box at elephant’s door without explanation.
It’s not exactly the hat that solves everything (though hats are awesome). It’s the gift part and the giving.
Seriously good, right?! HOORAY FOR HAT!
Thanks to Brian Won for images!
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I was inspired to make a crazy fun whimsical hat to hooray for after reading Hooray For Hat! So with major help from my guy, davishandmade, we did! And we’re giving it away to one reader of This Picture Book Life!
I recently won a fabulous party supply giveaway from Meri Meri through Design Mom, so we invented ways to use those supplies, gathered stuff from around our apartment, and took one quick trip to the 99Cents store.
And …TA DA!
It’s one giant hat. Or three separate hats. With lots of little details hidden around! Come see.
We were inspired by the cup holder sticking out of elephant’s hat and the bird cuckoo-ing from the other side. So we kind of combined them and stuck a straw and bird on ours.
Yup, there’s a bird’s nest hidden inside and you can only see it if you peep through the hole on one side. The nest is raffia and the eggs are felt balls. As this project’s been sitting on my desk for a couple of weeks, I’ve peered in on that nest a number of times to peek at those pretty eggs.
And another hat surprise! Say hello to panda underneath the coned shaped hat! She’s queen of that stripes on stripes cap.
The top cone-shaped party hat is straight from Meri Meri, only we added a feather to the top.
We had so much fun with the little details: ribbon, cut paper, washi tape, and twine.
It’s vaguely child-sized; the top hat opening measures about six inches across.
Comment on this post and tell us who you’d give this hat to wear for a chance to win!
A birthday girl or boy? A classroom helper? Do tell!
I’ll contact the randomly chosen winner by email for your mailing address.
(Enter until Monday, August 11 at midnight; open to North American residents only—sorry about that, far flung international readers!)
And if you want to make your own party hats, Brian Won’s got an activity page on his website with hat instructions; the sky’s the limit with what you can round up for supplies! And you must see Brian’s recent book party where incredible replicas of hats from the book were worn by all!
This is a really gorgeous hat. 🙂 well done both you and your guys 🙂
Thank you, dear Kathrin! So nice of you to stop by here!
Cute, cute, cute! The book and the hat! My littlest would wear it with aplomb.
I like your use of aplomb!! 🙂
I’d use it in kids yoga & speech therapy at the J.D. McCarty Center for Children with Developmental Disabilities! Looks SO fun 🙂
Oh, my! Just seeing this fabulous hat with all that attention to detail makes me swoon. (and less grumpy!)
Hee hee. Thank you, Nancy! Making it put us in super good moods too! 🙂
How amazing! If we won that hat, I have a photo booth at our back to school night for families and students to have their pictures taken with a “Hooray for YOU!” banner for being a part of our awesome school!
I’d love to give the the hat and this fabulous book to my daughter who will begin her first year as an elementary school teacher in just a few days! She will be teaching at a low income, title one school where books are in short supply but her ideas and energy supply are bountiful!
aww that book looks super cute! and the hat is adorable – nice one danielle! xo
Thank you, Lindsay! If your eye likes it, that’s saying something!
Okay. I can’t not. My kids would flip! Silly pics and read alouds!
WOW! Great book, great hat. We’d use the hat and the book for an activity table at our library’s Día celebration. (Children’s Day/ Book Day = Día de los Niños/ Día de los Libros)
I live in a house full of boys who LOVE wearing things on their heads… underwear – tea cozies – baskets – kitchen bowls, pots, colanders… And we love books, and making things. I applaud you AMAZING hatters and very much hope we win your drawing. 🙂 So glad to have discovered this inspirational site!
Just noticed… the time stamp on my previous post is incorrect – today is Sunday, Aug 10 and it’s 11:03 PM – just to clarify… it says 8-11-2014 at 3:38 am on the post that I can see above.
No worries, Valerie—that time is wrong. You’re in the drawing! 🙂
Oh my gosh, these hats are soooo fun! I felt grumpy today too, but feel better after reading this cute little post Danielle! 🙂
We have a giveaway winner and it’s MWINNE2! Many many thanks if you read this post and commented! Hooray for hats and books!
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