Round 1: (3) Old Hat, New Hat vs. (14) First Book of Sushi

Bears beat raw fish in the wild, but can they beat them at storytime? Let's find out!


Old Hat, New Hat
by Stan and Jan Berenstein Berenstain
Available in board book, paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats. (Amazon)

Old Hat, New Hat is a classic. You probably read it as a kid. There's a good chance your parents read it as kids. It's been around for a minute. It's an early Berenstein Berenstain Bears book, and features a nameless bear (who is not dissimilar to Brother Bear) in search of a new hat. It's a great book about the glories of retail therapy and preventing buyer's remorse, and I relate wholeheartedly.

First Book of Sushi
by Amy Wilson Sanger
Available in board book format. (Amazon)

I remember seeing this book in the gag gift section of my college bookstore, and I knew I would buy this for my theoretical future kids as soon as I read the line about miso in the sippy cup. I can't for the life of me understand why they would've considered it a gag, because sushi and the love thereof is deadly serious business and should be taught to children at as young an age as they are capable of understanding.

In any case, this is from a little line of books about world food, all of which we need to eventually buy for H., because teaching kids about tacos, tandoori chicken, and lox bagels is almost as important as teaching them about sushi.

Match-up Analysis

H. is a big fan of Old Hat, New Hat, so initially it seems like the front runner for this match-up. However, he's gotten curious about First Book of Sushi over the last month or so, to the point where I wouldn't write it off completely.

Prediction

I think this could be a close one, but will ultimately go to Old Hat, New Hat.

Results

I can't believe how close this one was. H. waffled back and forth between the two several times, but finally decided on First Book of Sushi.

Up Next

First Book of Sushi will take on the winner of Even Superheroes Sleep and My Friend Hello Kitty on April 19th.