Brimsby's Hats    by Andrew Prahin Order:  USA  Can Simon & Schuster, 2014 (2014) Hardcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Bob Walch What happens when your best friend goes away is the subject of this charming picture book for children four years of age and older. Brimsby is a hat maker who lives a quiet life out in the country. Besides making wonderful hats, the little fellow enjoys having tea and sharing conversations with his friend every day. Then one afternoon his friend announces that he plans to go off and become a sea captain. Brimsby makes a special hat for his friend and sends him off with best wishes and a good-bye wave. In the days that follow Brimsby realizes he now has no one to talk to and he becomes very lonely. It reaches the point where the little hat maker trudges out into the wintry forest looking for companionship. It is here that he discovers a flock of birds having a hard time coping with the snow and cold. This gives Brimsby an idea and he hurries home to make something that will help the birds keep warm. Obviously the birds are very appreciative and now Brimsby has a whole new set of friends with whom he can share tea and conversation. And with his new friends, the happy hat maker would sometimes visit his old friend whenever his ship was in port. Children will relish this story and the grand illustrations that accompany it about this little hat maker who loses one good friend only to discover he is able to find an even larger group of special companions. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews