Perma-Bound

K-Gr 3 Set in the early 1900s, this engaging picture book introduces George "Stormy" Kromer, who loves everything about being a railroad engineerexcept that he just can't find the right hat for the job. He tries several different toppers to no avail: a derby blows away; a cowboy hat is too large; a pressman's folded-newspaper hat catches on fire; and a fireman's helmet is just too heavy. With each failure, his wife tries to offer a suggestion, but he brushes her off, until Ida finally puts her foot down: "Either listen to what I have to say, or stop complaining." Stormy describes all the features of his ideal headgear, and Ida, an accomplished seamstress, designs and sews it for him. Soon orders are coming in from all over the world and Stormy and Ida open a factory. An author's note tells more about the real couple and how they developed the cap that railroad workers still wear today. U'Ren's vibrant paintings capture the palette and motion of Midwestern landscapes and city scenes. The illustrations have an unforced multiculturalism (Stormy's cowboy friend is African American; a Chinese-American storekeeper stacks hats; and a painting of a modern-day railroad yard shows individuals of different ethnicities). With a snappy, high-interest story and connections to hats, history, trains, gender equality, and industrialism, this book is a gem for libraries and classrooms. Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD