In Hooray for Hat!, an act of kindness turns grumpy elephant into a friend who pays it forward.
Elephant wakes up very grumpy. Debut author-artist Brian Won indicates his hero's unpleasant mood: his light gray blanket and brown headboard, and a dark cloud over his head. Everything around him looks dull and dreary. When the doorbell rings, Elephant says, "Go away! I'm grumpy!" On the doorstep, he finds a box with a red ribbon, and inside is a multicolored, towering headpiece. "Hooray for hat!" Elephant cheers, with a smile on his face and rosy cheeks. The towering hat extends upward in many layers and holds a drink and a bird that pops out of a crown. Zebra, also grumpy with the telltale black cloud overhead, also cheers up when Elephant removes the top tier of his hat and places it on Zebra's head. "Let's show Turtle!" And on it goes until, one by one, Owl, Lion and Giraffe each receive an uplifting gift, and the cheer turns from "Hooray for hat!" to "Hooray for friends!"
Brian Won's colorful use of type (for "Hooray") emphasizes the celebratory mood and the infectious good spirits that move from one friend to the next. His animal characters look soft enough to cuddle. Children will be moved by Elephant's example to think about how they, too, can bring a smile to friends who may be having a "grumpy" day. Hooray for Brian Won, an author-artist to watch! --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness