[.uk] Aunt Flossie's Hats (and Crab Cakes Later) (ISBN 0618120386)

Developing a hatbox project:
I first bought this book as a requirement for an elementary education course. When it was time for me to develop a back pack project (take home activity projects) for my students...this one was soooo easy to use. I made mine a "hatbox project." Since the girls in the story, Sarah and Susan, visit Aunt Flossie and listen to her tell the history of her hats, I had my students take home a hatbox full of art supplies and a hat. Each student had to decorate a hat that represented themselves. Then, they had to write the history of their hats and share it with their classmates. It was a great success!

warm and endearing:
I am a mother of an 2yr old boy and a 4yr old girl. They both love this story. The audio tape is done very well and it really captures the sounds and emotions of each event Aunt Flossie's recalls. My children have there own tapeplayer and they play it over and over. My husband and I like the music in the story so we don't mind the children's constant replay. I highly recommend this book to any one who enjoys an great story from a special aunt. I strongly recommend the book and tape for littles ones who love repettion and parents who don't.

I liked the book:
My daughter, Ashleigh had Mrs. Howards daughter, Laura for first grade. I really liked her and so did Ashleigh. They read this book in school and its all Ashleigh would talk about.

First Rate Illustrations But Tedious Story:
Probably appropriate for 5-8 yrs. This story is very slow going for 4 year olds, and younger. They'll grow quickly bored, even though the illustrations are very good. The story centers around two young girls, Sarah and Susan who go to visit their Great-great-aunt Flossie. Aunt Flossie has a large collection of hats and has a mildly amusing, but forgetable story that goes with each hat. She retells a couple of stories to the girls, and they all go out for crab cakes. There are so many other childrens books that your children will enjoy more, that make this one worth skipping.

Sweet book:
This story is about two young girls listening to their great-aunt's stories. She tells three stories relating to an event that happened when she was wearing each of three hats. Predictably, the "best" story is the one with no historical significance, but the one that involves the two young girls :) Children are like that, it's very realistic. Afterwards they have crab cakes, and it's clear that this is the normal weekly end to their visit. This is a very simple story, very loving, and I suspect it's based on the author's actual family. Please note that it's somewhat wordy, and is probably better suited for the older end of the 4-8 range.