A HAT FULL OF SEA

During a hospital stay, a grandfather receives magical gifts from his granddaughter.

Grandpa Jim has a small window in his room, but this peek into the wider world isn’t enough—at least not according to his doting granddaughter Cora. She sets out to help him experience different places. First up, the sea. Using a wide-brimmed hat with a red sash, Cora catches “the cold-water ripples and the white foaming waves,” as well as “the softness of the sand and the seagull cries all wrapped up in the wind.” She brings it all back to Grandpa Jim, and the waves seem to cover him, like a blanket. After delivering the moon, the fun and excitement of a fair, a countryside field of flowers, and more, Cora is bereft when she drops the hat near a train. But Grandpa Jim tells her that it was her, not the hat, that cheered him up. The art is as playful as the concept, with images made up of loose lines and filled with solidly bold colors. The typeface is small, with some scenes becoming wordy and busy amid the imaginative scenery. Grandpa’s ailment is not discussed, though his stay is only temporary; children visiting relatives in the hospital will find the tale relatable and reassuring. Cora is brown-skinned and dark-haired, while Grandpa Jim is light-skinned and white-haired.

Tackles a potentially tough topic with a blend of whimsy and warmth.