Shall I Knit You a Hat? – a Christmas Yarn
by Kate Klise. Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise
Published by Square Fish Books
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Reviewed by Patty Inglish
A severe winter blizzard is coming for Christmas and it alarms the rabbit family to hear it on the TV nightly news. Mother Rabbit asks Little Rabbit if he would appreciate a hand-knit hat, and he agrees that it would be a wonderful gift for him. After receiving his warm and delightful gift, Little Rabbit suggests that all of their friends need hats as well.
Mother Rabbit and Little Rabbit use their creativity to make practical warm gifts for all of their friends to protect them from the storm. They take the Little Rabbit designer hats to town on a sled and distribute them to the other citizens. The townsfolk look doubtfully in the mirror as they don the hats and caps, but thank the Rabbits anyway.
When the snow begins to fly, Horse appreciates his blanket hat and Goose comes to love her neck-wrapping hat, while Deer sees the utility of his lovely antler-covering hat. Sophisticated cat falls in love with hers as well – it makes her look like a lion – and the townsfolk rush after the Rabbits to express profuse thanks.
Back at their home hutch in the storm, the Rabbits have forgotten gifts for each other, but they are happy to have given freely of Little Rabbit’s ideas and Mother rabbit’s wool, and they celebrate Christmas with a nice warm carrot cake in front of the fire.
If everyone gave something lovely and warm to someone else, no one would want for anything in the storm.
Shall I Knit You a Hat? is a warm and colorful story for children, families, and adults during the holiday season. The story is enchanting and the illustrations are colorful whimsy that is very engaging. With a complete Rabbit hat pattern for infant through age 3 years included, needle artists will particularly love it.
Armchair Interviews says: Special book for the holiday.