A Hat for Mrs. Goldman

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2017

Review

This is a sweet, meaningful (and cross-cultural) story about love, empathy, and altruism. Mrs. Goldman is always busy knitting hats for everyone in the neighborhood, including Sophia, the main character of the book. Sophia, a young girl (presumably of Jewish faith; she and Mrs. Goldman discuss how knitting is their "mitzvah," a good deed done from religious duty) who thinks knitting is too difficult yet dutifully assists Mrs. Goldman in the process by creating the pom-pom toppers. Winter arrives and Sophia realizes that Mrs. Goldman has spent so much time knitting hats for others (and, as she states, giving her own away to people who need them) that she doesn't have a hat for herself! This gives Sophia the determination to continue trying to knit, but after several attempts, she is nearly ready to give up. Defeated, Sophia remembers what Mrs. Goldman told her: "your pom-poms add beauty, and that's a mitzvah too." She gathers a collection of pom-poms that she has made over the years and proceeds to attach them all to her initial project, surprising Mrs. Goldman with a unique, fluffy hat that ultimately brings her to tears. The story ends with Mrs. Goldman wearing her special new hat, as she and Sophia take her dog Fifi for a walk down a snowy street. The softly colored illustrations compliment the cozy feel of the story, while the text is relatively spare and thoughtful. Overall a great addition to any children's book collection.

Overall Book Score: excellent