Module 6: This is Not My Hat

Summary

This is Not my Hat is a simple story of a fish who stole a hat from a bigger fish. This smaller fish takes the hat while the bigger fish is sleeping. The bigger fish eventually wakes up and notices his hat is missing. The small fish thinks he got away without the bigger fish noticing because he goes into an area with a lot of seaweed, but a crab sees him go in there. The bigger fish comes around and the crab points to where the small fish went. The small fish is so proud he got away in what he thinks is a good hiding spot, but the bigger fish follows him into the seaweed and then the big fish comes out with his hat on his head and the smaller fish is nowhere to be seen. 

Reference

 Klassen, J. (2012). This is not my hat. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. 

Impressions

This is a very short and simple story with the illustrations being the most appealing part of the book. The illustrations are also very simple, but they convey a lot of emotions through the eyes of the characters in the book. As for the story, it's a good story to show the negative side of stealing, but on the other hand, I always get a little apprehensive when one character eats another character in a children's picture book. While it doesn't show the small fish getting eaten, it is implied when the little fish doesn't come back out of the seaweed area.  

Professional Review

Hulick, J. (2012). This Is Not My Hat (review). Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 66(3), 129-130. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Retrieved October 30, 2016, from Project MUSE database.

Library Uses

This book would be good for an art class or workshop where kids can cut out shapes of fish or anything that they like and put it against black construction paper. The art style of the book is very simplistic and could possibly be imitated.