大象传媒

Read by Amy Gavin

Rosie was excited. Very excited! Tomorrow, she鈥檇 be going on a camping holiday with her Mum and Dad. Rosie was six years old. She鈥檇 never been camping before, but her Mum had told her all about it.

When you went camping you could stay outdoors all the time. You could ride your bike round the campsite, go to the playground, play on the beach. When you went camping you didn鈥檛 go indoors all day: you even cooked your meals and ate your food outdoors. And at night, her Mum and Dad and Rosie would all sleep together in a tent. It was going to be brilliant!

鈥淚 wish we could go now,鈥� said Rosie. 鈥淲hy can鈥檛 we go today?鈥�

鈥淏ecause we鈥檝e still got lots to do,鈥� said Mum. 鈥淵ou haven鈥檛 even packed your clothes yet.鈥�

Rosie鈥檚 Mum read out a list of all the things Rose would need to put in her camping bag.

鈥淭-shirts, beach shoes, swimming costume, warm jumper for the night times, anorak in case it rains, hat...鈥�

鈥淒on鈥檛 need a hat,鈥� said Rosie. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 like wearing hats.鈥�

鈥淵ou need to take a hat,鈥� said Mum.

鈥淲hy?鈥� said Rosie.

鈥淏ecause a hat will protect your face and neck from the sunshine,鈥� explained Mum.

鈥淚 like the sunshine,鈥� said Rosie.

鈥淚 do too,鈥� said Mum. 鈥淪unshine is lovely. But if we get too much sun our skin can easily burn and that can be dangerous. That鈥檚 why we put sunscreen on our skin and maybe wear a long-sleeved shirt if the sun is very bright. It鈥檚 also why we need to wear a hat.鈥�

鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 like hats,鈥� said Rosie.

鈥淣o?鈥� said Mum. 鈥淲ell, perhaps you should look at this.鈥�

Rosie鈥檚 Mum was holding a big paper bag.

鈥淲hat is it?鈥� said Rosie

鈥淟ook inside!鈥� said Mum.

Rosie reached into the bag and took out ... 听a hat. It was a blue hat covered with a pattern of bright red stars.

鈥淭ry it on,鈥� said Mum.

Rosie put the hat on and looked at herself in the mirror. The hat wasn鈥檛 bad. Rosie quite liked the colours and the star pattern and she liked the hat鈥檚 floppy brim which would keep the sun off her face and neck. Rosie thought she looked quite cool in her blue and red star hat.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter if you don鈥檛 like it,鈥� said Mum.

鈥淚 do like it,鈥� said Rosie.

鈥淚 can always take it back to the shop.鈥�

鈥淣o鈥�, said Rosie, 鈥淚 want to keep it.鈥�

鈥淏ut you don鈥檛 like hats,鈥� said Mum.

鈥淲ell I like this one,鈥� said Rosie.

听

Later on, when she鈥檇 finished packing and had eaten her tea and watched a bit of telly and got ready for bed, Rosie was still wearing her brand new sun hat.听

The next morning the sun was shining. The car was loaded with clothes and camping gear and they were all ready to go. 听As she sat in the back seat watching her Dad lock up the house, Rosie thought she鈥檇 never been so excited in all her life.

鈥淩ight鈥�, said Dad, 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 everything.鈥�

鈥淲hat about your hat, Dad?鈥� said Rosie.

鈥淒on鈥檛 need a hat,鈥� said Dad.

鈥淵ou do need a hat,鈥� said Rosie. 鈥淗ats are important. Sunshine is good for you but if too much sun gets on your face and neck it could burn your skin and that can be dangerous.鈥�

鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 like wearing hats,鈥� said Dad.

Rosie undid her seatbelt and got out of the car.

鈥淒ad鈥�, she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not going anywhere till you鈥檝e got a hat.鈥�

Dad smiled and went back into the house. Moments later he came back wearing a white floppy sunhat.

鈥淲ill this one do Rosie?鈥� he said.

鈥淵es, that鈥檒l do nicely,鈥� said Rosie. 鈥淣ow let鈥檚 go camping!鈥�

Rosie's Hat was written by Jeff Caple