Who Was the Woman Who Wore the Hat?

Bibliographic information: 

Patz, Nancy.  Who Was the Woman Who Wore the Hat?  Dutton Books, 2003, p. 38.

Brief plot description:

This is a prose poem that tells of a hat seen in a Jewish Museum.  The woman telling the story wanders what was the woman like that wore the hat.  The woman could have lived in Amsterdam; it could have been the woman telling the story hat, or someone else that she knew.  She finds it is sad to think about, but also important to know about what happened to the Jews.  The illustrations are sketched; color, some real pictures with additional sketches around them, and the colors of the pages represent death or darkness.  The book includes author’s note and chronology of the Holocaust.

Brief review:

I like Who Was the Woman Who Wore the Hat? because it tells a story of a hat that belonged to a Jewish woman who lived during the time of the Holocaust.  I think the main idea of this book is that it could have been a relative’s hat.  This idea might be something that students can relate to because their family could have an item from a relative that has significant importance to their family.  I think the book could be used for fourth through sixth grade as a read aloud or individual read.  The book could be used when discussing the Holocaust or poems. 

Genre label:

Poetry

Reading level/interest level:

4^th- 6^th grade

Similar materials in style content, theme or characters:

The Stone Lamp: Eight Stories of Hanukkah Through History by Karen Hesse

Witness by Karen Hesse

Awards:

2003 Sydney Taylor Award

Parent’s Choice Recommended 2003

CBC-Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young Readers 2004