The picture book The Yellow Hats by Kelly Matathia-Covo (due mid August 2026; read via an online reader copy) is about the Holocaust. It does not come out and say that but due to the Yellow Hats (yellow stars) and the scene behind barbed wire, plus a few other pieces, we know this is the case.
Based on the author’s family experiences, this is not an original theme, but an original presentation. It is an emotional story and an emotional way of telling things. It seems simple, a family just doing things, but there is more than that when reading between the lines and even the images. To be honest, I loved most of the illustrations, in fact they are very lovely and I could see some being framed. There are good moments (the family walking) but of course, there is the barded wire image which of course, I would not save, but find amazingly strong. But the faces of the sheep were a smidgen off for my viewing eye. And this does take away from the overall picture of things, but that is a personal issue.
What we will all share is that the story really speaks to us. The story has a slow, even pace so it might not be for the younger reader and the theme is not for the sensitive reader, but it speaks to multiple ages. The cover is a good representation of the artwork and the text is not dense, but not sparse either so this is a book for the right reader as it is not your “usual” read. Perhaps best for the adult reader, it really hits home with a mixture of history and contemporary events.
FROM PUBLISHER: based on author Kelly Matathia-Covo’s own family’s story of surviving the Holocaust. An introductory author’s note provides historical context that offers insights relevant to our contemporary times.
