Old Hat New Hat by Stan and Jan Berenstain

The authors send us a clear message, be satisfied with what you have for the latest and greatest may not be any better than what you have in front of you already. When a young bear goes into a hat shop to find a new hat he is met by a sophisticated, but snobby, sales clerk. The clerk immediately goes to work to find a suitable hat to replace the bear's old, tattered, and unattractive hat. He presents the bear with a large selection of many new hats, bringing them in one after another. The hats are quite varied while some are fancy, some are practical, and most are very imaginative. Kids can marvel at the selection of new hats, comment on them, pick a favorite, and laugh at their absurdity. The bear rejects each of the hats one by one, unable to find anything that suits him. Finally he discovers the perfect hat, but it is not a new hat. Instead he leaves with his old hat, nestling it perfectly on his head while a look of satisfaction comes over his face.

I think kids love this book because in its simplicity it delivers creativity with a surprise ending. Who would have guessed that the bear would pass up all the new hats just to walk back out of the store with his old hat? He possessed all along a hat that could not be so easily replaced, even with its floppy brim and raggedy patches. Teachers can lead their students in a query as they think of old favorites that are irreplaceable. Students can write and illustrate their own books showing how they would reject the new and keep their old, comfortable favorite. Perhaps kids can learn to appreciate the things they have without looking for the new stuff.