The Scarecrow's Hat

"Scarecrow's Hat" is a wonderful book for young children. My class loved the idea of making a trade for something that you want. We talked about other ways to share after we read it.

Seriously, this is a fantastic book for pointing out how *clever thinking* gets this chicken exactly what she wants without A) whining B) demanding C) having a hissy fit D) sulking Really great book about thinking through a problem and finding an original solution. It's a long solution, but the chicken is very clever and she stays positive all the way through. In the end, she gets exactly what she wants, having worked quite hard to get it, and feels the satisfaction of a day well-spent. I think the book models a wonderful attitude toward success. Hard work and clever thinking pay off.

The Scarecrow's Hat is a delightful tome most can appreciate. Ken Brown's watercolor illustrations are illuminating! There's a glow to his work, which tells me he's very acquainted with the medium. The wheat gracefully blows in the fields, while the clouds billow in the azure sky above. The full-color spreads are bright, and vibrant while the animal expressions are friendly and warm. For instance, when Chicken makes her final trade we see a contented Scarecrow where he was once sullen, and Crow appears to be smiling with his swap. It's pretty difficult to paint a "happy" beak. Brown doesn't use rhyme, or alliteration in his writing, but his words are well chosen, and there's repetition in the refrain. A 3-year old could easily follow along as the vocabulary is age appropriate. While my son is six, and typically welcomes a longer story, William really likes The Scarecrow's Hat. After the first read, he had one of those "AWE ha" moments, snickered, and immediately asked for a reread.

Chicken wants Scarecrow's hat, Scarecrow wants a walking stick. Chicken knows who has one and starts off on a fun filled day of bartering and trading. Along the way she makes deals with Badger, Crow, Sheep, Owl and Donkey, each one needing something else that another animal has! This book is filled with wonderful watercolored pictures of the farmyard animals.(The one of Sheep in glasses is priceless!)A fitting companian book to Tattyboggle, "The Scarecrow's Hat" is sure to please!