A Hat Full of Sea

When Grandpa is ill, Cora wants to make the right impression during her visit. Thoughtfully, she wears a hat that he once bought for her. At the hospital, Cora realises how frustrating it must be for Grandpa to only have a small square of sky to look at. This sets Cora to thinking about how to bring the outside in.

Using her special hat, Cora scoops up the features of the sea – ‘the softness of the sand and the seagull cries all wrapped up in the wind.’ Next, she uses her hat to bring the countryside and all its sounds and colours to Grandpa’s hospital bed. Into the hat goes the fun of the fair, the marketplace and the night sky. When the wind blows Cora’s hat away, she is perplexed. How can she continue to bring Grandpa his adventures and taste of the outside if she no longer has her hat?

Cora doesn’t need to worry, though – Grandpa is feeling much better, and he explains that it wasn’t the hat that aided his recovery, it was Cora, her kindness and her imagination. This is a heartwarming story of the love between generations. Beautiful descriptions awaken the senses and the bright, bold, slightly scribbly illustrations add to the charm.