Kleven, Elisa. Hiro’s Hats. Elisa Kleven, Illus. Picture Book. Wild Swans, 12/2019. [40]pp. $17.99. 978-1-7333043-9-9, PB $7.99. 978-1-7333043-0-6. OUTSTANDING. GRADES PRE-3.
Hiro, a young snow monkey, is teased by his siblings for thinking a hat is his friend. A robin becomes his friend through shared appreciation of the hat. The slightly surreal tale of a monkey, a hat, and a robin through different seasons is bolstered by delicately beautiful collage art in colors that evoke harsh, snowy winters and lush, blooming springs. A page of back matter is dedicated to fun facts about snow monkeys. The lyrical prose makes for an engaging storytime or bedtime option.
Eny Calvert, San Francisco Public Library