This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen won the Caldecott Medal in 2013 and then also won the British Kate Greenaway Medal for children’s book illustrations. The book is about a little fish who steals a tiny blue hat from a big fish. The little fish things he can get away with it and spends each page justifying his actions. He plans to hide in the tall plants but unfortunately for him, the big fish finds him. The reader never knows how the story ends exactly so it leaves a little to the imagination. It Is amazing how much suspense this book can bring with such simplicity of a storyline.
So, let’s talk pictures. Klassen’s pictures are what make this book which makes sense why it won the Caldecott. There are very few words on each page and the pictures are simple. Although the pictures are simple, they make you have to look very closely for details. By taking a close look, you will notice the clear signs of movements and emotions in the fish – the eyeballs of the little and big fish, the crab’s claw, the bubbles behind the fish. The changing eyes are my favorite part! The pictures even stay the same for three pages except for the eyes and this makes for huge engagement for students. The pictures on each page are so simple but yet these small changes make the book very intriguing and funny.
When reading the textbook, Literature and the Child, I learned about all of the artistic tools that illustrators use. I kept trying to figure out what made Klassen’s pictures so unique. At first, I considered his use of color. He sticks to the same muted colors throughout the entire book and creates all of his characters and scenes flat. Upon further research, I learned that Klassen uses computer-generated digital illustrations coupled with Chinese ink. (Galda 103)
I think this book would make a great read aloud because it helps students look closely at the pictures and make inferences. I can’t wait to use this with my students!
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