The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins

Rating:
Summary: Can Bartholomew Remove His Hat?
Review: Bartholomew Cubbins, lowest of the subject of King Derwin has gone into town to sell some cranberries for his parents. When the king passes by, he doffs his hat, 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. Meanwhile, Bartholomew must figure out a way to get his hat to stay off his head before the consequences become drastic.

This is an early Dr. Seuss book, and a lesser known of his works. Still, it tells a fun story about a boy in trouble for something he didn't do. Everyone can relate to that. Even when the king becomes obsessed with the hat, Bartholomew never looses his respect for the king.

This doesn't have the charm, creativity, or poetry of some of his other works, but is still fun for kids because of the absurd length they reach to try to get rid of that hat.

Rating:
Summary: Can Bartholomew Remove His Hat?
Review: Bartholomew Cubbins, lowest of the subject of King Derwin has gone into town to sell some cranberries for his parents. When the king passes by, he doffs his hat, 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. Meanwhile, Bartholomew must figure out a way to get his hat to stay off his head before the consequences become drastic.

This is an early Dr. Seuss book, and a lesser known of his works. Still, it tells a fun story about a boy in trouble for something he didn't do. Everyone can relate to that. Even when the king becomes obsessed with the hat, Bartholomew never looses his respect for the king.

This doesn't have the charm, creativity, or poetry of some of his other works, but is still fun for kids because of the absurd length they reach to try to get rid of that hat.

Rating:
Summary: memories for a lifetime.
Review: I love this book. But not just because it is a great children's story, which is deservedly is. This book is great, because it illustrates what I beleive to be the principle of creative repetition.

The 500 hats, start simply -- each hat is as simple as the one before it. Yet, the magic of each new hat, propels the story forward through all the attempts of people to stop the flow of hats. All sorts of nay-sayers, dis-believers, and the supposedly wise are challenged by what they see.

Eventually, this creative process creates such conflict that takes the situations to new heights, which somehow inspire spontantous improvement and variety. What used to be simple, becomes increasingly ornate and valuable, culminating in a creation that transcends the entire situation.

So rather than a simple story, I take this as a metaphor to inspire the creative process. Rather than attempt to create the great works, just do the simple acts repeatly and notice the small variety accumulate into something great. (However, it would be silly, to take this as a metaphor for compound interest. ;)

My art teacher described it this way. "Even with the simplest of subject matter, if you create many versions, over and over, it gives your work stength, a backbone, if you will, that will allow you to see the great art among your own work."

So, even though this is a childrens book, it is worth buying, because it represents a value that can be meaningful to adults.

And it's a fine tale as well.

Rating:
Summary: Great idea, not so great in content...
Review: I'm relieved that my son brought this home from the library before it had occured to me to purchase it. I sat there with my children (6 and 4) and started to read from , what promised to be, an entertaining Dr. Suess book.... until there I was TONGUE TIED halfway through... when someone declares BLACK MAGIC to be in operation. Now. Some people, I realise may not have a problem with that (I for one thought the story was great so far, and continued it a few pages later to find the ending delightful) but those christian parents out there, considering purchasing this book for their new readers to read ALONE, beware. Froma christian perspective, this was a terrible book.. a slip in the wrong direction... as for everything else... great picture, fun story idea, my son laughed a lot, and my daughter was entranced.... just skip a few pages, better yet, buy the book, rip out the offensive pages, and VOILA...a great tale of a funny adventure! IMHO.

Rating:
Summary: Opportunity Arrives Disguised as a Disaster
Review: The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins is one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books. It is also one of my favorite books about finding opportunities in the midst of problems. Any budding curious mind will find this book encouraging of looking at things differently, so see what potential they hold. A child who is interested in science may find this book to be a useful metaphor throughout life.

The book is the first of two that Dr. Seuss wrote about King Derwin of Didd and Bartholomew Cubbins. If you decide you like this tale, I suggest that you also read Bartholomew and the Oobleck.

Here's the apparent problem. Bartholomew has taken a basket of cranberries to town to sell, so he can take the money to his parents. While there, the king passes by, and the cry goes out, "Hats off to the King!" Bartholomew complies, but the king glares at him. There's still a hat on Bartholomew's head, even though he has removed the original one!

The captain of the King's Own Guard grabs Bartholomew and takes him the castle, where the king gets more and more angry. And more and more hats keep appearing. Soon, Sir Alaric, Keeper of the King's Records, indicates there are hundreds.

The king tries everything he can think of, including calling on Sir Snipps {the royal hat maker}, his wise men (Nadd, father of Nadd, and the father of the father of Nadd), musicians, magicians, his nephew the Grand Duke Wilfred, bowmen, and even the executioner. But the executioner cannot even lop off his head to solve the problem, because the executioner cannot take Bartholomew's hat off.

Grand Duke Wilfred offers to kill Bartholomew by throwing him off the top of the castle. But a strange thing happens along the way, and Bartholomew is saved and richly rewarded!

Throughout, Bartholomew has worn his honesty and good intentions well, and he has led a charmed life. In the end, "They could only say it just 'happened to happen' and was not very likely to happen again."

As a caution, you should be aware that Bartholomew is put in situations where people are angry with him and several times is at risk of injury or loss of life. Without proper preparation, this story could frighten your child.

I suggest that you wait to introduce this story until your child no longer gets nightmares from stories, and firmly believes you and is comfortable when you say that everyone lives happily ever after. In our family, this meant that our rough and tumble boys were ready for this story before our equally rough and tumble daughter was. Our more sensitive daughter was never introduced to the story. She would hate it. I also suggest that this book be read for the first time early in the day. If you detect any quesiness with Bartholomew's situation, you can stop the book at that point. It is not particularly frightening in the beginning.

The book is beautifully produced in black and white, with red added to provide colorful contrast for the hats. Dr. Seuss did a remarkable job here with perspective in his drawings. This method nicely adds depth to the story.

He starts by comparing the king's view of the valley with the valley view of the King's castle. The one view makes the king feel grand while the other makes the subjects feel small.

This theme of perspective continues with the hats. Bartholomew has certainly removed his hat. That means he has done the right thing. When a new hat appears, that means that he still needs to remove his hat. That appears to the king like a slight, as though no hat had been removed. The king's rather grand ego cannot stand that. So you can think about the problem as a clash in perspectives about showing respect.

Is is good or bad to have lots of hats? Usually it is good, and the story allows you to see both the good and the bad sides of this perspective.

You might also use this book to introduce visual and relative perspectives more generally to your child. Go look at the end of a corridor and see how rectangular it is. Walk along the walls and see how rectangular they are. Then look from the other end to what you have seen, and see how the lines along the floor and ceiling telescope together to reflect the way our eyes work. You can do something similar by having your child look at something while crouching, and then while looking over something. Ask your child what she or he sees, and what his or her feelings are. This works best if you can use the same object, which has different attributes from the top versus the bottom. Something unfamiliar like a new kind of car works best for this.

You can also discuss how perspectives differ among people about the same situation. How do you perceive respect being given? How does your child perceive that she or he is giving respect? When will conflicts occur?

Enjoy overcoming your emotions to look objectively for opportunity and agreement!

Rating:
Summary: Opportunity Arrives Disguised as a Disaster
Review: The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins is one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books. It is also one of my favorite books about finding opportunities in the midst of problems. Any budding curious mind will find this book encouraging of looking at things differently, so see what potential they hold. A child who is interested in science may find this book to be a useful metaphor throughout life.

The book is the first of two that Dr. Seuss wrote about King Derwin of Didd and Bartholomew Cubbins. If you decide you like this tale, I suggest that you also read Bartholomew and the Oobleck.

Here's the apparent problem. Bartholomew has taken a basket of cranberries to town to sell, so he can take the money to his parents. While there, the king passes by, and the cry goes out, "Hats off to the King!" Bartholomew complies, but the king glares at him. There's still a hat on Bartholomew's head, even though he has removed the original one!

The captain of the King's Own Guard grabs Bartholomew and takes him the castle, where the king gets more and more angry. And more and more hats keep appearing. Soon, Sir Alaric, Keeper of the King's Records, indicates there are hundreds.

The king tries everything he can think of, including calling on Sir Snipps {the royal hat maker}, his wise men (Nadd, father of Nadd, and the father of the father of Nadd), musicians, magicians, his nephew the Grand Duke Wilfred, bowmen, and even the executioner. But the executioner cannot even lop off his head to solve the problem, because the executioner cannot take Bartholomew's hat off.

Grand Duke Wilfred offers to kill Bartholomew by throwing him off the top of the castle. But a strange thing happens along the way, and Bartholomew is saved and richly rewarded!

Throughout, Bartholomew has worn his honesty and good intentions well, and he has led a charmed life. In the end, "They could only say it just 'happened to happen' and was not very likely to happen again."

As a caution, you should be aware that Bartholomew is put in situations where people are angry with him and several times is at risk of injury or loss of life. Without proper preparation, this story could frighten your child.

I suggest that you wait to introduce this story until your child no longer gets nightmares from stories, and firmly believes you and is comfortable when you say that everyone lives happily ever after. In our family, this meant that our rough and tumble boys were ready for this story before our equally rough and tumble daughter was. Our more sensitive daughter was never introduced to the story. She would hate it. I also suggest that this book be read for the first time early in the day. If you detect any quesiness with Bartholomew's situation, you can stop the book at that point. It is not particularly frightening in the beginning.

The book is beautifully produced in black and white, with red added to provide colorful contrast for the hats. Dr. Seuss did a remarkable job here with perspective in his drawings. This method nicely adds depth to the story.

He starts by comparing the king's view of the valley with the valley view of the King's castle. The one view makes the king feel grand while the other makes the subjects feel small.

This theme of perspective continues with the hats. Bartholomew has certainly removed his hat. That means he has done the right thing. When a new hat appears, that means that he still needs to remove his hat. That appears to the king like a slight, as though no hat had been removed. The king's rather grand ego cannot stand that. So you can think about the problem as a clash in perspectives about showing respect.

Is is good or bad to have lots of hats? Usually it is good, and the story allows you to see both the good and the bad sides of this perspective.

You might also use this book to introduce visual and relative perspectives more generally to your child. Go look at the end of a corridor and see how rectangular it is. Walk along the walls and see how rectangular they are. Then look from the other end to what you have seen, and see how the lines along the floor and ceiling telescope together to reflect the way our eyes work. You can do something similar by having your child look at something while crouching, and then while looking over something. Ask your child what she or he sees, and what his or her feelings are. This works best if you can use the same object, which has different attributes from the top versus the bottom. Something unfamiliar like a new kind of car works best for this.

You can also discuss how perspectives differ among people about the same situation. How do you perceive respect being given? How does your child perceive that she or he is giving respect? When will conflicts occur?

Enjoy overcoming your emotions to look objectively for opportunity and agreement!

Rating:
Summary: The Awesome Book called 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins
Review: The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, written by Dr. Suess, at Random House

If you like fantasy choldren's books with lots of pictures then this is the book for you. A boy is going to the market to sell cranberries and the king rolls by on his carriage, everyone takes of their hat but whenever Bartholomew takes off his hat another one appears. The king's nephew wahnts him to be executed because he is getting all the attention and even he can't take off Bartholomew's hat. After each hat pops off a new one comes on Bartholomew's head. The kind tries many ways to get the hat off, including shooting them iff with arrows and other ways to. Get ready Bartholomew this will be one funky ride.

Bartholomew is the main character, the poor farm boy that just can't take off his hat. There is also the king's nephew, the Duke of Wiinfred, is a snob and tries to kill Bartholomew after he can't take off Bartholomew's hat. There is also the king who is rather clueless throughout this whole book.

I would definately recommend this book to kids because it isn't hard to read and is very easy to understand. It is also very funny with many wierd and hillarious twists in it. Dr. Suess is a very good writer and i would recommend any of his books. He does a very good job of giving each character their own voice. The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins is a Dr.Suess is a classic and everyone should read it.

Rating:
Summary: As relevant now as it was in 1938
Review: The Bartholomew Cubbins books are examples of Dr. Suess's early children's stories ("The 500 Hats..." having been published in 1938), and thus they lack the sing-song poetry and and bright colors of his later works. They are my favorite Suess books, however, as they speak to any child who is frustrated and put upon by adults who talk down to them. The theme of The 500 Hats... is as relevant, if not more so, than it was when the book was originally published.

The magically re-appearing hats is frustrating to bartholomew, but to the adults around him it is a terrifying and disturbing thing, not because it is dangerous but because it threatens their sense of what should be. The interventions they try range from the simple (calling in "experts" like a tailor, wise men and magicians) to the desperate and frightening (ordering Bartholomew's head and the offending hats cut off). Throughout it all, bartholomew's desires and needs are forgotten, and he is looked upon merely as an extension of this "problem." Also involved is the king's nephew, a "normal" child who spearheads the movement to do away with Bartholomew, not out of fear or concern but out of simple spite. In the end, however, the magic and wonder of the event is recognized and celebrated rather than condemed.

I would particualrly recommend this book to parents of children with learning disorders. The themes descibed above would be particularly familiar, and the conclusion especially satisfying. The grim sections of the book (such as when the king orders bartholomew's execution) should not scare anyone off from what is a wonderful and inspiring story.

Rating:
Summary: Keep your "Eggs and Ham" I like the HATS!!
Review: This is a truly AMAZING book. The first time I brought it home from the Grade School Library I was enchanted! Bartholomew Cubbins is challenged with the difficulties brought on by his hat. He is almost beheaded for not taking his hat off before the King. He get's out of that though because of his hat. He is chanted upon by wise men and cats. The nephew of the King does not like Bartholomew because he is getting more attention than he. Bartholomew continues to remove hat after hat the entire time. In the end they become grander and grander. The thing that almost got Bartholomew killed it what saves him in the end.

I brought this book home over 500 times. Before I could read my mom read it to me, even when I could read I made her still read it to me. I treasure this Seuss book above all of my others. Bartholomew has an amazing time trying to take his hat off. This book has all the wonderful Seuss words and adventure that is to be expected.

Rating:
Summary: Keep your "Eggs and Ham" I like the HATS!!
Review: This is a truly AMAZING book. The first time I brought it home from the Grade School Library I was enchanted! Bartholomew Cubbins is challenged with the difficulties brought on by his hat. He is almost beheaded for not taking his hat off before the King. He get's out of that though because of his hat. He is chanted upon by wise men and cats. The nephew of the King does not like Bartholomew because he is getting more attention than he. Bartholomew continues to remove hat after hat the entire time. In the end they become grander and grander. The thing that almost got Bartholomew killed it what saves him in the end.

I brought this book home over 500 times. Before I could read my mom read it to me, even when I could read I made her still read it to me. I treasure this Seuss book above all of my others. Bartholomew has an amazing time trying to take his hat off. This book has all the wonderful Seuss words and adventure that is to be expected.