Hats are not for Cats!, written by Jacqueline K Rayner, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Alexandra F.
Summary: A cat wearing a hat gets told off by a dog for wearing a hat as only dogs may wear hats. The cat goes through a multitude of hats before finally proving that hats are for everyone, convincing the dog that cats can wear hats. It is decided that “Hats are for everyone!” with a splash of bright colors to end the story.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This book is very good for teaching young readers about the concept of sharing and accepting others. At the end of the book, the story also touches on making up with someone after an argument, demonstrated by the cat when it returns to the dog and invites him to join the cat and other animals. The rhyme would make it more engaging for the younger readers, whether they are being read to or are reading the book themselves. Young readers with a basic vocabulary should be able to read the book by themselves with some assistance for unfamiliar words. The pictures are also very attractive to younger children, while the animals may be gray, there is a lot of colour added by the hats which, along with the animals funny antics, makes the pictures cheerful. Rayner used mostly watercolor for her illustrations and charcoal for some outlines. Readers might get upset right along with the dog as he tries to convince the cat to stop wearing hats. He has a poster and is very emphatic in the delivery of his convictions. Young readers will love the relationship between the cat and the dog, which in some ways mirrors real life. This book is a good addition to a school library.