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Hats Off to You

East Bay storyteller and artist friends publish delightful children’s book

Jackie Katz writes about what she knows. Much like the namesake character in her book, she owns a lot of hats – 243 according to her latest count. Katz is one half of the team that brought us the children’s book, Mrs. Katz and Her Hats. Nancy Brandley co-wrote and illustrated the rich watercolor images that accompany the tale of a sprinkle-covered donut hat learning a few valuable life lessons. It’s both authors’ first published book. “Nancy and I have been good friends forever,” explains Katz. “When I told her I wanted to write a children’s book, she said ‘Let’s do it!’ and that’s how it all began.”

The book is based on Katz’s experience telling stories to children for more than 35 years, starting as an elementary school librarian outside Murrieta, California. As she put it, “I wear crazy hats while reading books to the children.” When she moved to Rhode Island, her Thursday night story hour, Mrs. Katz and Her Hats, quickly became a family favorite at the Rogers Free Library in Bristol.