Winner of the 2013 Caldecott Medal!

Klassen, Jon. This is Not My Hat. Somerville, Mass: Candlewick Press. 2012. 

ISBN: 9780763655990

Author:

Jon Klassen received the 2010 Canadian Governor General’s Award for his illustrations in Caroline Stutson’s CAT'S NIGHT OUT. He also created illustrations for the popular series THE INCORRIGIBLE CHILDREN OF ASHTON PLACE and served as an illustrator on the animated feature film Coraline. I WANT MY HAT BACK is the first book he has both written and illustrated which won the 2013 Caldecott Medal for illustration. Originally from Niagara Falls, Canada, he lives in Los Angeles. 

Plot Summary:

Jon Klassen's next hat book is not a sequel. It's more of a companion book.  The first book being I Want my Hat Back.  In this book, a tiny fish comes into view wearing a blue hat (that fits him perfectly) while stating it is not his hat.  He stole it from a large sleeping fish.  The little fish then proceeds to tell the reader why he will not get caught.  The little fish does not state that stealing is bad but mainly emphasizes why he will not get caught.  The "not getting caught" is why it is alright to steal the hat.  The humor in this book is in the illustrations which are revealing to the reader that the large fish is coming to get his hat.  This book ends with the reader having to decide what happened to little fish after the large fish went into the tall plants and got his hat. 

 

Klassen uses his simple colored illustrations to show how everything the little fish is saying is not what is really happening.  He won't get caught because the big fish is sleeping.  Only one character saw him but he won't tell (crab).   In the end the big fish and little fish meet in the tall plants where the reader cannot see.  This illustration makes those young children look and probe for what happened to little fish.  The book ends where the big fish swims out of the tall plants with his blue bowler hat back on his head and goes back to sleep.  

  

Extension Activities:
This is an excellent book for young children and many lessons can be taught from this story. A lesson on stealing is easily taught.  With young children I like to say "taking things that are not yours".  The open ending leaves the reader to decide which is a great opportunity for young children to brainstorm ideas on an ending.  Young children can draw pictures of what became of the small fish or a group ending is fun where the ending can be written on a large chart or board then each child can create their own illustration. 

Reviews:

Klassen continues to be the master of black and brown, and the viewer will not tire of the palette. 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. Darkly hilarious. -The Horn Book

Visual humor swims to the fore as the best-selling Jon Klassen follows his breakout debut with another deadpan-funny tale. - Good Reads