While browsing the book buying area (this year run by an independent book store, DC's Politics and Prose) I ran across a delightful picture book: Happy Birthday Madame Chapeau, written by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts. It was drawn to it for three reasons:
1. The book festival took place on my birthday
2. It was about hats/fashion
3. Madame Chapeau is French!
It turned out to be a wonderful story. It is all about Madame Chapeau, who somewhat unsurprisingly is a milliner. She goes out for dinner by herself on her birthday and her hat is stolen by a crow. As she chases it, she makes a number of friends, one of whom is able to give her a perfect replacement hat.
Things that make this a great story:
1. The illustrations are lovely, with a wide-variety of fabulous hats, some of which are recognizable and others that are satisfyingly unique.
2. The characters are diverse. The "We Need Diverse Books" movement is all over the internets these days and this book is a refreshing look a wide variety of people without diversity being the stated topic of the book.
3. I seriously dislike the idea of "girl books" and "boy books," as I believe good stories are for everyone. This is a good story!
Additional: After writing and sceduling this post, I read Iggy Peck, Architect by the same authors. Also wonderful. I love the drawings, the diversity, and the story. Moving to Rosie Revere, Engineer next.
