The Leopard Hat

Praise

"The exquisite handiwork of a deeply appealing young writer. . . . Steiker’s understated, moving prose penetrates deep into the interior itself: to the heart, to the mind." –TheWashington Post Book World

“Poignant. . . . a graceful tracing of her mother’s life." —Vogue

“Such a beautiful book. . . . It’s about what home means to you and how it can really be embodied in one person who shapes your life, and how to deal with it after that person is gone.” –Anna Quindlen on the Today Show

“Lovely. . . . Vibrant. . . Gisele sought beauty and loved extravagance in a way that made her the most unforgettable character in her daugther’s life. . . . Remind[s] you of Life Is Beautiful.” —San Francisco Chronicle

"Extraordinary. . . . She titles each chapter of her elegantly structured work after an animal or an insect, then subtly and seamlessly weaves metaphors of anthropomorphism into her narrative, as if into a web." —Newsday

“Here Steiker proves the mother-daughter relationship does not have to be fraught with trouble to be memorable.” —Boston Herald

“Poignant. . . . Quite beautiful. . . . A graceful tracing of her mother’s life." —Vogue

“Delicious. . . . Don’t be too surprised if you find yourself rereading passages just to enjoy Steiker’s lush prose, rich descriptions, and above all the talent for living she inherited from her mother.” —Bookreporter.com

“Valerie Steiker combines style and substance in The Leopard Hat, an ode to her flamboyant and sophisticated mother, Gisele.” —Time Out New York

“An outstandingly moving valentine to [Steiker’s] dashing and exuberant Belgian mother… What an incredible family album.” —Daily Candy

“Completely charming …. Can there be any loving daughter who won’t see something of her mother in this memoir, or many readers who won’t be taken by its special mixture of the high-hearted and the heartbreaking?” —Adam Gopnik

“A luminously written debut. . . . A loving tribute to a woman who taught her daughters to value beauty and joy.” —Kirkus