Klassen's art is just fabulous and his view of life seems quite quirky! My 7-year-old daughter and I love him! For some reason, this is the last of the hat trilogy for us to read. Klassen's comic timing with his illustrations is superb. He makes subtle changes to the illustrations that actually create a dramatic and humorous impact. We laughed out loud reading this. For example, Klassen shows us a large fish that fills 2 pages in profile with his eye closed. The little fish has just stolen the big fish's hat while he sleeps but we only see the big fish. On the next 2 pages, the little fish is thinking that "he probably won't wake up for a long time" and at that time we are looking at the same picture of the big fish but with his eye open. The next page the little fish thinks that "even if he does wake up, he probably won't notice that it's gone" and without changing anything in the picture except the big fish's eye we know he notices. The big fish's pupil is pointed up toward his head! Then on the next page, the little fish thinks that "even it he does notice that it's gone, he probably won't know it was me who took it." This time Klassen uses the exact same 2-page big fish picture but the fish knowingly narrows his eye. Klassen is just genius to convey so much with so little! We do not see the little fish until 13 pages into the story although the book is entirely from his perspective.
My daughter and I hotly debated the end. We know the big fish emerges from the dense plants with his hat back and we no longer hear from the little fish. I am firmly in the little-fish-got-eaten camp but my daughter believes he is hiding in shame. Such fun regardless!
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Reviews with images
Good book, arrived damaged
I ordered this for my daughter after remembering this and it’s sister book “I want my hat back” from years ago. I ordered both of them and both arrived damaged. This one has scruff marks on the cover and something sticky/oily on the back. Really thinking about returning it because of the state it arrived in.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2017
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2012
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2021
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2019
This book is really cute and funny. I have a degree in education, and while getting that degree I worked in the schools child book library and I found that it is great for children young and old. The art is really cool, classic and simple, but also really funny! The story is funny for adults to read to kids but the words are simple enough to read that new readers should be able to read it themselves. We originally got it from the library to read (purely based on the cover and title lol) and after reading it one time we decided to buy a copy for our kids collection. Would be great in a board book too if they would make one.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2023
I ordered this for my daughter after remembering this and it’s sister book “I want my hat back” from years ago. I ordered both of them and both arrived damaged. This one has scruff marks on the cover and something sticky/oily on the back. Really thinking about returning it because of the state it arrived in.
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Severin bany
La couverture du livre est abîmé.
Reviewed in France on January 11, 2022
Severin bany
Reviewed in France on January 11, 2022
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Sagar Kolte
A beautifully illustrated, quirky and intelligent book.
Reviewed in India on May 11, 2019
