This is Not My Hat

www.amazon.com

Klassen, Jon. 2012. THIS IS NOT MY HAT. Ill. by Jon Klassen. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. ISBN-13: 9780763655990 (Hardcover)

This is not My Hat is a story about a little fish who decides to take a hat from larger fish. The larger fish appears to be asleep when the hat is taken. The little fish justifies his actions to the reader by stating the hat did not fit the larger fish and he won’t notice it is gone anyway. The little fish continues swimming with the hat and hides where no one will find him in the tall, thick plants. While on his way to hide, he encounters a crab who promises not to reveal his location. The larger fish wakes and is in pursuit of the missing hat. The crab does in fact reveal the hiding spot of the little fish by pointing with his claw. The larger fish enters the tall, thick plants and the story ends with the larger fish swimming away wearing the hat. 

This is not My Hat is a book with few words and with the beautiful illustrations, few are needed. The Visual elements are very calming and work beautifully with the story. The illustrations provide clues to what is happening in the story with expressions of the eyes on the fish and crab. In the beginning, the little fish is looking back while swimming and seeking his hiding spot.  The eyes of the larger fish demonstrate the emotions felt by the fish on each spread as the story progresses and the fish searches for the hat. The crab's eyes follow the fish into the tall, thick plants to the right and later follow the larger fish as it emerges and swims away with the hat.

The story is about not taking things that belong to others. On the first page, the little fish states "This hat is not mine. I just stole it." Children know this is not the 'right' thing to do and are able to watch the story unfold as the owner gets the hat back. In the end, the larger fish is seen swimming away with the hat from the tall, thick plants. The little fish is not shown again and what happens to it is left open to the reader. Children may believe the little fish was eaten or is ashamed and embarrassed to come out. 

This is not My Hat is the Caldecott Winner for 2013. Other nominations include: The Buckeye Children's Book Award, Kentucky Bluegrass Award, and Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Awards. It can also be found on the Texas 2x2 list. 

For those who enjoy this story, you may also enjoy: I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen, A Ball For Daisy by Chris Raschka, and Marshmallow by Clare Turlay Newberry. 

Booklist (08/01/2012):  "Once again, the simple, dramatic tension and macabre humor mesh splendidly with Klassen's knack for tiny, telling details and knockout page turns."

Horn Book Magazine (09/01/2012): "Little eyes will pore over the end pages, looking for evidence of foul play, but all the interaction between the two characters takes place where the plants grow tall and close together, obscuring the view."

Further activities for This is not My Hat, can be found at:  http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/not-my-hat-0