MILLIE’S MARVELLOUS HAT

A little girl becomes a millinery maven when she lets her imagination soar. On her way home from school, Millie spies a hat with colorful feathers in a shop window. Although the hat suits Millie perfectly, her purse is empty. Then the sympathetic salesman offers her a box containing a “most marvellous hat,” which can “be any size, shape or color you wish” as long as you “imagine it.” When she tries on the imaginary hat, she loves it and discovers it has a lot of potential. First it’s a peacock hat, then a cake hat, then a flowery hat and even a fountain hat. Soon Millie imagines everyone she sees in a different fanciful hat. The possibilities are endless. Kitamura matches his quiet story of imagination and empowerment with soft watercolor illustrations that teem with fascinating urban detail. Decked out in a bright-yellow slicker and boots, Millie’s small cheery figure easily stands out amid crowded streets and parks, but it’s her fantastical hats that command center-page attention. A real charmer. (Picture book. 4-8)