I Want My Hat Back

Title: I Want My Hat Back

Author and Illustrator: Jon Klassen

Copyright Date: 2011
Genre: Fiction

Theme: animals, lost and found items

Grades: Preschool-3

Awards: Theodor Seuss Geisel Beginning Reader Honor, SCIBA Book Award finalist, Golden Archer Award (Wisconsin), E.B. White Read Aloud Award, Colorado Children's Book Award Nominee, E.B. White Read-Aloud Picture Book finalist, Bank Street Irma Black Awards, Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices List, Texas 2x2 Reading List Selection, ALA Notable Children's Books, New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, CYBIL Award – Shortlist, the Horn Book Fanfare, New York Times Book Review Notable Books of the Year, Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, New York Times Book Review 10 Best Illustrated Children's Books

Summary

A bear, loves his red conical hat, but one day he finds it missing. He embarks on a search through the woods looking for his prized possession. He asks each of the animals he runs into if they've seen his hat, but they each say they haven't. 

Will bear ever find his hat, and wasn't that rabbit acting kind of weird? Find out the answer to these questions and more by reading this book.

Pre-reading Activity

Before reading this book, you can have your audience get into the mindset of the bear by recalling a time in their life when something they loved went missing. What did they lose; a toy, a pet, item of clothing, a person? How did they feel when it was missing? What did they do to find it? How did they feel after finding it and having it back? Afterwards you can explain that the story they are about to read is about a bear who lost something he loved (his hat) and what he does to try and get it back.

Post-reading Activity

This would be a fun book to turn into a reader's theater type project. With a large cast of characters, and one that can be easily added to, a large group can take part in the play and the repetitive structure and clear spoken text of the story makes easy conversion to dialogue that even the youngest students can learn. Students can have a blast making simple costumes to play the characters, such as paper antlers, bunny ears, and of course, a red conical hat. This would make a very nice project for an open house or other presentation to families. 

Author and Illustrator

While this is his first book he wrote and illustrate, Jon Klassen has been the illustrator on numerous projects in print and on film. He worked as an ilustrator for the animated film Coraline, the book series The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, and won the 2010 Canadian Governor General’s Award for his illustrations for Cat's Night Out written by Caroline Stutson. He's from Ontario, Canada and  currently lives in California. (Source: book jacket and here.)

Reflections

This is easily one of the best new books I've come across in a long while. It just begs to be read outloud and performed with silly voices. I have read this to both students and adults and both groups loved it. I can't recommend it high enough.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, click here.

Click the video below to watch the official book trailer for I Want My Hat Back.

You can make your own hat like the bear's, thanks to a fun activity from Candlewick Press. Found here.