Book Review: The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins by Dr. Seuss

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Suspenseful tale that serves as a stepping stone for kids.

Cons: May be too dark for some children.

The Bottom Line:

Early, different

Still a wild picture book ride

For all to enjoy

You'd Think Removing a Hat Would be Easy

Dr. Seuss is best known for his imaginative children's books that combine great illustrations with rhyme and interesting characters. The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, from very early in his career, is different in many ways but still fits with his legacy.

Bartholomew Cubbins, lowest of the subjects of King Derwin has gone into town to sell some cranberries for his parents. When the king passes by, he doffs his hat as is the law, only have the king stop and accuse him of not taking his hat off. Surprised to find it is true, he takes his hat off, only to find a third hat on his head. The king has him arrested and begins trying to figure out ways to keep the hat off. His wise men and magicians are certainly no help. So the king decides to have him killed to remove the affront to his authority. Can Bartholomew stave off his execution?

Obviously, this book is much darker then your normal Seuss tale since most don't involve death in any way. My library has the book in the "easy reader" section, meaning they think it is best for someone ready to move on from picture books and beginning readers. That's probably a pretty accurate placement since Bartholomew does face death twice before the story is over. The book is made up mostly of familiar words, but there may be a few, like Derwin, Didd, or even Bartholomew, that will throw the young reader off.

Everyone can easily relate to the story. No matter the age, we've all be falsely accused of something. The King doesn't come across that well since it is obviously not Bartholomew's doing. Yet the boy remains respectful to the happy ending.

Unlike many Seuss books, this one is not written in poetry but in prose with full paragraphs. Most of the time there are words on one page and pictures on the other. The illustrations are a bit more realistic then normal Seuss books have, but they still have his distinctive style. The drawings are black and white with each hat being red. It's an unique approach that really makes the hats stand out.

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins really would work well for those beginning to move up in their reading. It carries a familiar name yet with a more mature writing style that will serve them well as they move on to bigger and better reading adventures.

(My 500th post on this blog.)