Review by Booklist Review
Harbet is a sweet-faced, white dog with a long snout, crooked tail, and fondness for hats, his favorite being the cozy, pom-pommed number knitted for him by his nana. One day, Harbet runs into a fashionable group of animals wearing towering fruit-topped turbans à la Carmen Miranda who shout, Old Hat! upon seeing the little dog's winter cap. Not to be left behind, Harbet hurries to a haberdashery and purchases a fruit hat of his own. His moment of trendiness is cut short, however, by another cry of Old Hat! from the chic chapeau crew, who have swapped their fruit for light-up traffic cones. The pattern continues despite Harbet's best efforts, and readers will giggle over his mounting collection of ridiculous hats. Gravett draws her amusing story to an inspiring close when Harbet makes his boldest (and best) fashion decision by embracing his individuality. Gravett's bright illustrations (created in pencil, watercolor, and acrylic) pop against plain backgrounds, and the Old Hat! refrain and silliness of the story make this a fantastic storytime choice.--Smith, Julia Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Harbet is a shaggy dog who ventures out in the ear-flapped knitted cap his Nana has made for him. He meets a dinosaur, a big-billed bird, and a bear, all ostentatiously decked out in Carmen Miranda-style fruit-bowl hats. Oblivious to their own silly headwear, they laugh at Harbet's. "Old hat!" they chorus. Trying hard to keep up, Harbet picks out a fruit creation just like theirs ("It was low in fat, high in fiber, and could provide 80% of his daily vitamins"), but they've already moved on to hats shaped like traffic cones, and their derisive "Ha Ha's" fill up the big spreads. After the search for up-to-the-minute headgear ends in despair, the dog does something brave: "Harbet took off his hat." He's got a wonderful secret, and now the three friends are filled with envy. Readers can giggle at Gravett's sly prose and witty caricatures, but there's a lot to talk about, too. The three friends don't look mean; are they bullies? Is Harbet silly to worry, or is his anxiety easy to understand? There's more to this smart story than funny hats. Ages 4-8. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-A sweet and simple book with a strong message about being yourself. Harbet the dog has a favorite hat that his Nana knitted for him. It is a perfect fit and keeps him cozy in the cold weather. Unfortunately, the rest of the Harbet's friends find his cap to be passé and make it well known that it is an old one. So, the pup sets out to find the perfect new hat. Many of them make him happy with their outlandish style and special features. But none of them seem to please his friends, who move on to the next trend at lightning speed. Finally, while sitting on a humongous pile of discarded new hats, Harbet decides to ditch headgear all together and go out into the world as his fabulous self (keeping his original old hat for the winter months, of course)! His friends try, but they cannot outshine Harbet as his true self. VERDICT With its vibrant watercolor illustrations and witty storytelling style, this book is sure to please a wide variety of children. Its message of self love makes it a must-buy for any library collection.-Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Dog-like Harbet cherishes his grandmother-made knit hat. When three animals wearing Carmen Mirandatype toppers ridicule it, he switches chapeaus to match. But the fashion police have moved on, deeming Harbet's look passi. So it continues until Harbet goes hatless, exhibiting a head sprouting colorful plumes--surprising the judgy trio and the reader. Gravett's eccentric crown-topping creations evoke those of the approval-courting poodle in Go, Dog. Go! (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Bowing to peer hat pressure never works.Harbeta bipedal, warmly off-white dog, mildly and endearingly scruffyhas a favorite hat. It has pompoms, earflaps, and patterns; his nana knitted it when Harbet was a puppy, and it keeps him toasty warm. Unfortunately, the local trendsettersa dinosaur, a storklike bird, and something vaguely ursinehave different standards and no compunction about mocking. They all sport Carmen Miranda-type fruit hats and declare his old hat "OLD HAT!" (the tale's refrain), beginning a cycle in which Harbet acquires a new hat like theirs but always after it's become pass. His fruit hat is so yesterday, andpoor Harbet!the fruit rots and attracts flies. He obtains a traffic-cone hat with a mounted searchlight, like theirs, but now they have hats that look like little ships. Harbet consults Top Hat magazine; he tries a saucepan on his head, a pink work boot, and an undersea diving helmet. Still, "OLD HAT!" Only the surprising reveal of his bare head changes the power dynamic. Gravett's pencil, watercolor, and acrylic ink illustrations are cheerful, delicate, and funny. While the mockery is set in huge, all-caps type and the mockers do point, their facial expressions don't jeer, and the art's gentle lines and heartening colors keep the vibe lighter than it might have been.A story about teasing and pressure, but a fairly tranquil onewith excellent chapeaus. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
