Tsz, tsz, tsz, I’m probably a little tardy to the Caps for Sale party, but hey, it’s never too late to get into a good book, right?

The story of a cap peddler who has to retrieve his wares from a bunch of exasperatingly mischievous thieves, is simple — but executed flawlessly: charming and just whimsical enough to have an element of surprise, yet with the right amount of repetition so even the youngest readers can follow along.

The illustrations by Esphyr Slobodkina, in a deliciously muted fall palette, are also pure delight. This 1938 classic is one of the few books that are equally enjoyable for both my three- and four-and-a-half-year-old, and it also stands up to multiple readings without getting old.