The Red Hat

Written by: David Teague and Antoinette Portis

First line: Billy Hightower lived atop the world's tallest building.

Why you should read this book: It's a sweet little love story for children, about a boy who wants to meet a girl but is foiled at every turn by the wind. The wind is represented by subtle swirls printed in a different type of ink from the rest of the book, so that it can only be seen when the light hits it just so, while the rest of the story is black, white, red, and shades of blue exclusively. Simple and beautiful.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You have a legitimate fear that your child will try to jump off the roof using a blanket as a parachute.