The Magic Hat

The Magic Hat
By: Mem Fox
Illustrated by: Tricia Tusa
Copyright: 2002
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Children 4-8
Genre: Picture Book

"Oh, the magic hat, the magic hat!
It moved like this, it moved like that!"

The Magic Hat magically appears in town one day, and floats from one head to another changing people into different animals. These animals always rhyme with the way the people are described, making it fun to try and guess what they will turn into. The towns people gather and celebrate the magic that the hat has brought them. Then a Giant wizard, with a tiny stop sign. comes to town and stops the magical hat, and changes all the people back. However he leaves them with a surprise, which is a giant chicken. And he himself puts on the hat, and turns into a regular boy.
Recommended to: Mothers reading to there children. This picture book has neat illustrations, and the way it is laid out makes it a great read-along. Allowing the children to guess what the towns people are going to change into next.
Problems: This is an everyone friendly book.
My Reaction: The magic dust that followed the hat in this book, kept me bouncing right along with it. I found myself trying to guess what the warty old man would become, before turning the page. Beautiful details in the illustrations.