Hooray for Hat!
Hooray Series
on Goodreads (2,420)
What’s inside...
Elephant wakes up grumpy—until ding, dong! What’s in the surprise box at the front door? A hat! HOORAY FOR HAT! Elephant marches off to show Zebra, but Zebra is having a grumpy day, too—until Elephant shares his new hat and cheers up his friend. Off they march to show Turtle! The parade continues as every animal brightens the day of a grumpy friend. An irresistible celebration of friendship, sharing, and fabulous hats.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
1-3
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Character compass
Elephant
Owl
Turtle
Zebra
Discussion points
How did Elephant feel at the beginning of the story, and what changed his mood?
Why do you think sharing the hat made Elephant and his friends feel happy?
Can you think of a time when you shared something with a friend and it made you both smile?
What would you do if you had a magic hat like in the story?
How can we help others feel better when they are sad?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to express their feelings by relating to the characters. Ask them how they would feel in similar situations.
Discuss the importance of kindness and sharing, and relate them to personal experiences your child might have had.
Use expressive reading. Change your tone of voice to match the emotions in the book to make the reading experience more engaging.
After reading, collaborate with your child to create a 'feel-good' craft inspired by the book, like making a simple paper hat.
Reinforce the themes by encouraging your child to think of ways they can spread joy or share with others daily.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Sharing brings joy
Explanation: In 'Hooray for Hat!', when Elephant shares his hat with other grumpy animals, their mood improves. This act of kindness transforms their day.
Real-World Application: Children learn that sharing their possessions or time can make others happy and foster friendships.
Example Lesson: Empathy and understanding
Explanation: The story illustrates how Elephant understands and responds to his friends’ bad moods by doing something kind. This reflects empathy and caring.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to recognize emotions in others and offer support, strengthening emotional intelligence and social bonds.
Example Lesson: The power of teamwork
Explanation: As more animals join the parade, the collective joy increases, demonstrating that working together can lead to greater achievements and happiness.
Real-World Application: This teaches children that cooperating with others can help overcome obstacles and make activities more enjoyable.
Example Lesson: Cheerfulness is contagious
Explanation: The cheerful parade with hats in the book shows how a positive attitude can spread from one person to another.
Real-World Application: Children can see how their good mood and cheerfulness can positively affect those around them.
Example Lesson: Turning negatives into positives
Explanation: When Elephant first feels grumpy, the arrival of a hat cheers him up. This shows how changing one's perspective can improve a situation.
Real-World Application: This encourages children to find positive aspects in any situation, promoting resilience and a positive outlook.