R. R. Pottle the Third has a truly wonderful, extra-extraordinary collection of hats. But happiness eludes him. He is lonely and dreams of meeting a perfect wife ' who will, of course, be wearing a perfect hat.
One day, a day so bad that R. R. Pottle wears not one, not two, but three hats at once, his dream comes true in the best possible way.
This warm, comical story by talented new author Laura Geringer is crowned with full-color illustrations by Caldecott Medal winner Arnold Lobel.
Notable Children's Books of 1985 (ALA)
A Reading Rainbow Featured Selection
A Three Hat Day
Awards & Citations
An ALA Notable Book
A Reading Rainbow Featured Episode (Top Ten)
A New York Times Bookshelf selection
Parent’s Choice Gold Award
Critic’s Choice, Booklist
A Random House Learning Library Book with Tape
A Twenty-fifth Anniversary Special First Book Edition
Adapted as a children’s musical celebrating reading by the Kaufman Center’s 2011 Summer Theater Workshop.
Where to Buy
Excerpt
What hats!
There were fezzes and face veils,
tiaras and tam-o-shanters.
There were sombreros and skullcaps,
pillboxes and panamas.
There were beanies with propellers.
There were derbies with green glitter
that glowed in the dark…
R.R. began to zigzag in and out among the hats…
He tried on the fez and twirled his mustache.
He tried on the derby
and struck a devil-may-care pose.
He tried on the sombrero
and did a little jig.
The pom poms
hit his nose.
Reviews
“A darling, gently comic tale. The full-color pictures reflect the story’s spirit in the prize-winning artist’s ingenious style.” —Publisher’s Weekly
“Energetic drawings by Caldecott Medalist Arnold Lobel contribute their own dignity and humor. With its light touch, good pacing, and satisfying symmetry, this is a pleasing critic’s choice. —Booklist
“The blend of story and illustrations is perfectly seamless.” —Horn Book
“A fun-filled story of the slightly eccentric R. R. Pottle the Third. Lobel’s depiction of the Pottles is imaginative and clever. Even better, though, is the richness and rhythm of the language. Young readers will enjoy rolling the words off their tongue. A nice way to introduce youngsters to the riches found in the English language.” —School Library Journal
Author’s Note
My favorite fan letters from children tell me about “three hat days” they’ve had in their own lives—days that turned things around for them and gave them confidence in themselves. If you read A THREE HAT DAY aloud (and I hope that you do) you may discover another secret love story besides the one between R.R. and Isabel at the heart of the book—my love for the sound and rhythm of words. Caldecott award winning Arnold Lobel (FROG AND TOAD) liked to draw animals so when he said ‘yes’ to illustrating A THREE HAT DAY—my very first picture book for children—he warned me that he might decide to draw R.R. as a raccoon. In the end, to my great joy, he drew R.R. just as I had imagined him—a shy little mustached man with spectacles—much like Arnold himself! In the works, is A FIVE SHOE DAY, the sequel. It begins where A THREE HAT DAY leaves off: “R.R. Pottle the Fourth loved shoes.” Write to me if you’d like to read it. Or tell me about a three hat day of your own. —LGB
This episode features A Three Hat Day by Laura Geringer, a story about a lonely man with an extraordinary hat collection. LeVar Burton learns that hats can signify many different types of work and play. The book is read aloud by actress Zelda Rubinstein. When he puts on a jockey’s cap, he visits a racetrack and joins in a horse race.
Visit the Reading Rainbow website at to find family activities you and your child can do together after watching this episode. Activities for this video are available in both English and Spanish.