Module 1: Caps for Sale

Module 1

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

Summary

This is a classic story about a peddler who carries the hats he sells stacked on top of his head. He walks around town with his stack of hats and tries to sell his wares. One day he sits under a tree to take a nap. When he wakes up, monkeys in the tree have taken all but one of his hats. He tries to get them back and the monkeys mimic him. He gets angry and throws his one remaining hat on the ground in frustration. The monkeys all mimic him and throw down their hats. The peddler collects them, stacks them back on his head and heads back to town. There is not much character development.

Citation

Slobodkina, E. (1968). Caps for Sale. New York, NY: Harper Collins

My impressions

I remember my dad reading me this book when I was a kid. He would make goofy monkey faces and jump up and down. I loved. This is a great read aloud book. There are several instanced of repetition that create a rhythm when you read it aloud that gives the story a pleasant rhythm.  It introduces concepts of problem solving and persistence in a simple child friendly way.

Review

Caps for Sale is a timeless classic beloved by millions...one of the most popular picture books ever published!

Children will delight in following the peddler’s efforts to outwit the monkeys and will ask to read it again and again. Caps for Sale is an excellent easy-to-read book that includes repetition, patterns, and colors, perfect for early readers.

This tale of a peddler and a band of mischievous monkeys is filled with warmth, humor, and simplicity. 

[Review of the book Caps for sale, by E. Slobodkina]. Retrieved from https://www.harpercollins.com/9780064431439/caps-for-sale

Idea for use in a library

It would be fun to create a display built of books about clothes that you put together in the shape of a person.