The Magic Hat

SPEAKER_1 (0:01)

This is Believe, one network, every topic, everywhere.

Lisa Bueno (0:07)

Okay, our friends, so today, we're going to read a story that involves you using your imaginations, and hopefully it will make us laugh, and hopefully it will fill us with wonder, right? Which is what we like. We love asking questions and answering them. So let's get into today's story. It's called The Magic Hat. It was written by Mem Fox, and it's illustrated by Tricia Tusa.

And I will put a link for it on my Amazon affiliates page, so you can get a copy of this book and follow along with us. The art is just adorable. Today's story is read by Mommy, and...

SPEAKER_3 (0:51)

The guy who makes fun of Jabba the Hutt.

What? The guy who makes fun of Jabba the Hutt.

Lisa Bueno (0:57)

The guy who makes fun of Jabba the Hutt?

SPEAKER_3 (1:00)

Yeah.

Lisa Bueno (1:01)

From Star Wars?

SPEAKER_3 (1:01)

Yeah.

Lisa Bueno (1:02)

The big sea space slug thing?

SPEAKER_3 (1:05)

Yeah, giant fat sea beast.

Lisa Bueno (1:07)

Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_3 (1:08)

Fat, fat, space, gross thing.

Lisa Bueno (1:11)

Yeah, he's super gross. Yeah, I would make fun of him too if... Well, he has a little gross little guy who sits on him who makes fun of people too, so...

You can't do that, that's just not nice. Don't make fun of people unless... Yeah, well, he's a big gross guy, so that makes a little more sense. Yeah, okay, okay, fair enough. Let's see what this story is about today, shall we? Ready to come with me, guy?

SPEAKER_3 (1:36)

Let's do it.

Lisa Bueno (1:39)

Fair enough, okay. One fine day from out of town, and without any warning at all, there appeared a magic hat. And we can see the hat, it has just simply floated into town. It's blue. It has a little sort of pokey bit at the top of the hat that is red and white striped.

And we can see there are people who are going about their business inside the town.

So let's see what happens. Oh, the magic hat!

SPEAKER_1 (2:17)

The magic hat!

Lisa Bueno (2:19)

It moved like this, it moved like that, it spun around the air and over the road, and sat on the head of a warty, old toad. He kind of looks like Jabba the Hutt.

SPEAKER_3 (2:36)

Oh, let me see.

Oh my gosh! It does look like Jabba the Hutt!

Lisa Bueno (2:41)

It does. Oh, the magic hat! The magic hat! It moved like this, it moved like that, it spun through the air like a bouncing balloon and sat on the head of a hairy, fat toad.

It landed on the head of this monkey. Oh, the magic hat!

SPEAKER_1 (3:04)

The magic hat!

Lisa Bueno (3:05)

It moved like this, it moved like that, it spun through the air and from way over there and sat on the head of a sleepy, old bear. Oh, the magic hat!

SPEAKER_1 (3:22)

The magic hat!

Lisa Bueno (3:23)

It moved like this, it moved like that, it spun through the air, it's true, it's true! It sat on the head of a kangaroo!

It's true, in the picture, we are dumbstruck by this, but sure enough...

SPEAKER_3 (3:39)

Next, I'm guessing it's going to sit on the head of a giant fat cat.

Lisa Bueno (3:44)

Do you think? Well, I'm just wondering if it just found its way to the zoo and that's what's going on, or if it turned the people into these creatures. Because in the pictures, the artist makes it look like the hat is about to sit on a person, but then when you turn the page, it's an animal.

Oh, the magic hat, the magic hat! It moved like this, it moved like that, it spun through the air for a mile and a half, and sat on the head of a lofty giraffe, who happens to be on top of a building. But on the page before, it was a person, you know? Very confusing, don't you think?

SPEAKER_3 (4:31)

A evil magic hat, I don't like you.

Lisa Bueno (4:33)

You know, I don't know, let's see. And then, with a skip, and then with a hop, a wizard appeared with a sign that said, stop.

And I think it's probably a good thing, too, because all of these animals are just running rampant. So everyone stopped and stared with surprise. At this wonderful wizard with sparkling eyes, who took from his beard, with a nod and a wink, a wand, which he waved. And what do you think? The toad, the baboon, the bear and the... And of course the giraffe. What did it do? Turns back into people. Hmm, whew, dazed and confused, watched by a crowd that was highly amused. So they did get turned back into people. Thank goodness. The other thing that's surprising in this particular book is how large the wizard is. He's like bigger than the whole planet. He's a giant wizard. Look at how big this wizard is. All right.