cover image Felix's Hat

Felix's Hat

Catherine Bancroft. Four Winds, $14.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-02-708325-5

These collaborators clearly understand that an ordinary item can have extraordinary sentimental value, as exemplified here by Felix Frog's orange baseball cap. One day, the amphibian family visits the pond, where Felix, reclining on an inner tube, capriciously imagines himself as ``a Cheerio in a bowl of milk.'' Catastrophe occurs: the tube overturns on a rock, and only after Felix paddles back to shore does he realize his hat is missing. Watchful readers will see the lost toque as it floats out of sight, but Felix and his family are not so lucky. The green fellow is inconsolable until his big brother, who once had a prized baseball hat of his own, comes up with a magical solution. With scenes reminiscent of real family life (the parent-offspring dynamics here are especially winning), Gruenberg and Bancroft--in her debut--imbue each member of the clan with a distinct personality. The somewhat unpromising jacket art aside, this expressive story will maintain its enjoyability through many rereadings. Ages 4-7. (Mar.)