By Dr. Seuss, 1989

ISBN 039484484X

When Bartholomew visits town one day, selling cranberries at the market for his parents, the King's procession screeches to a halt in front of him; King Derwin then leans out of his coach, demanding to know why Bartholomew hasn't respectfully removed his hat. "But, Sire, my hat is off." He shows the king the hat in his hands that he's just doffed, but sure enough, another identical one sits atop his head. He takes that hat off only to reveal another...and another, and another, and another.

Poor Bartholomew goes through 45 hats, then 136, then 233, as the angry king calls in every expert in the kingdom, from Sir Snipps the haberdasher to the Father of the Father of Nadd. In the end, Bartholomew barely gets away with his head (forget about the hats!), as Seuss spins this weird and wacky tale, a strange thing that "just happened to happen and was not very likely to happen again." 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. Bartholomew Cubbins is also multi-talented Jared Leto's alter ego who has produced and directed several videos and documentary. Jared is also a member of the band 30 seconds to mars.

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