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Each year I and my family read and rate all the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ picture book nominees. This one is nominated for 2016. I make a few comments and then add their separate ratings and a comment from each of them. There's 20 (15 first round and 5 new ones for the semi-final round) and this is the fifteenth being rated. My rating might be somewhat influenced by the family, naturally. This one is unique in that it is the only one of the 20 I had read well in advance of the award process. And so I will honor my collective sense of this book as not as good as the first two and knock my own personal rating to 4 stars! Because maybe they (and GR friend Martyn) have talked me out of my rave.

Dave’s October 16, 2016:
5 Stars. Yay, yet another hat book from Jon Klaasen, the third in a kind of trilogy! This one is in three parts, which is unusual for a picturebook. Two turtles find a hat. One hat. They decide to leave it so no one will NOT have a hat. But turtle # 1 seems to REALLY want it. It would appear that #1 will, when the other one is asleep, finally take it, but. . . #2 shares a dream he has about their both having hats. Though there are not two hats. So the ending is either just strange, weird, or it has mystery about it. I say the latter.

Most kid books have clear "morals." This one could be about friendship and sharing. It could be about how we must deal with a world of diminishing resources. And maybe it is about these things, or could be. I think it is just a little refreshingly off center, with some admission of longing and jealousy in it. And magic, with wonderful drawings. Check out Klaasen! Read everything he does! Lovely.

Tara (my wife): 3 stars. Not as good as his other books.
Harry (11): 3 stars. The turtles are fighting to get the hat back.
Hank (10): 2 1/2 stars.
Lyra (9): 4 stars. I like how one turtle wants the hat without sharing.