Bound To Stay Bound Books, Inc.

Full Text Reviews:

School Library Journal - 04/01/2014 PreS-K—Everyone wakes up in a bad mood now and again, and Elephant is no exception. When the doorbell rings, he stomps down the stairs shouting, "GO AWAY! I'M GRUMPY"—the first of two refrains in the book, this one printed in large black caps. Elephant finds a surprise present: a box of whimsical hats! Putting the whole stack on his head, the now happy pachyderm shouts, "HOORAY FOR HAT!" with the second refrain in extra large multicolored caps. He goes to visit his friend Zebra, who is also grumpy. Elephant gives Zebra one of the hats, which instantly lifts her spirits. They drop in on their grouchy friends Turtle, Owl, Lion, and Giraffe, giving out hats and cheer, and becoming a veritable parade as each animal joins in on the fun. Though created digitally, Won's bold minimalist illustrations truly look like saturated watercolors, wonderfully offset by the expansive white background. The accompanying text matches the illustrations in its simplicity and formulaic repetition, making this tale a good choice for both beginning readers and for storytimes, especially if accompanied by a silly hat craft. A lighthearted celebration of friendship and sharing that does not hit the readers over the head with its moral.—Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2014 As everyone well knows, there’s nothing so cheering as a good fashion accessory. Here Won takes the idea a step further: Elephant wakes up grumpy, but the mood doesn’t survive the discovery of a gift box on the porch with a fabulous multilayered hat inside. Off Elephant rushes to show—and cleverly share with—grouchy Zebra. Soon there’s an entire parade of formerly grumpy friends marching along beneath new hats and chanting the titular exclamation. Ultimately the original headpiece is reassembled as a gift for Giraffe, who isn’t feeling well, and all gather for a final shout: HOORAY FOR FRIENDS! Won’s expressively posed animal figures and the spare narrative are placed on white backgrounds that both brighten the colors and give each scene a clean, spacious look. Moreover, the repeated chorus endows the episode with storytime-friendly rhythm and predictability. A tip of the hat to this buoyant debut. - Copyright 2014 Booklist.