Anna Kingsbury

ENG 308-04
Book Talk
March 21, 2016

This Is Not My Hat Jon

Klassen
Publisher and Copyright: Candlewick
Press
Publication Date: 10-09-2012
ISBN: 9780763655990
Lexile: AD340L
Genre: Childrens picture book
Grade Level: 4-8 years; Preschool
3rd grade
Awards:

Caldecott Medal 2013

Kate Greenway Medal 2014

Summary:
This story follows a tiny fishing wearing a round blue top hat, who tells the
reader that he has stolen it from someone else. Hes confident that the big
fish that he stole it from wont wake up, and even if he does, he will never
know what happened. The illustrations in this piece, however, tell a
completely different story. They show the contrast between the tiny fishs
optimistic narrative and the stark reality that the big fish really is on his way
to find his hat and succeeds. After each claim the tiny fish makes, there is
an illustration showing basically the opposite to be true.
Why this is a good book:
The fact that this book winds two stories together in this way makes it a
hilarious and engaging read, and gives the reader an entertaining point of
view. The illustrations are also very visually pleasing and unique, created
using a combination of digital drawing and coloring as well as watercolor.
This method of illustration, as well as the pictures direct contrast to the
narrative, allows the story to speak twice as loud and helps keep the reader

engaged while guiding them from left to write across the pages. Although
This Is Not My Hat does not end on a necessarily happy note, it is still
entertaining to follow along with and can teach children the lesson that they
should not steal from others.
Classroom Engagement:

Moral This books general theme is that the tiny fish should not have
stolen the hat. He thought that he could get away with it, but in the
end he was found out (although we dont know exactly what happened
to him.) This story could be used to begin a discussion in your
classroom about the differences between right and wrong, or actions
that will not be tolerated in the classroom (i.e. stealing, lying, being
mean or hurtful, bullying, and so on.)
Science As this story takes place underwater, it could be used to
introduce a lesson on fish or aquatic environments. There are different
types of fish and aquatic animals present in the story, such as the tiny
fish, big fish, and the crab. The tiny fish also hides in some tall grass or
seaweed. This work could get students interested in what a fishs
environment might be like in a silly and engaging way.
Language Arts Since this work almost tells us two different stories
with its contrast between the narrative and the illustrations, it could be
used to help introduce students to the concept of stories having an
underlying or deeper meaning that goes further than what the text is
saying. This deeper meaning can often be difficult for students to
grasp, especially in more complex stories or novels (without pictures to
showcase it), and so This Is Not My Hat could be used to introduce this
concept.

About the Author:

Jon Klassen was born in 1981 and is a Canadian writer and illustrator
primarily of childrens books. He has worked as an illustrator in many media
types, including books, feature animated films, music videos, and editorial
pieces. He was also the first person to win both the Caldecott and the
Greenway Medal for the same work. He is from Niagara Falls, Ontario, and
now lives in Los Angeles California. Klassen studied animation at Sheridan
College and graduated in 2005.
Other books by the Author:

Books written and illustrated

o I Want My Hat Back, by Klassen (Candlewick Press, Sep 2011)
ISBN 9780763655983
New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of 2011

Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor book of 2012

Children's picture books illustrated
o Cats' Night Out, by Carolyn Stutson (Simon & Schuster, Mar
2010), ISBN 9781416940050
Governor General's Award for English-language children's
illustration in 2010
o Extra Yarn, by Mac Barnett (Balzer + Bray, a HarperCollins
imprint, Jan 2012) ISBN 9780061953385
o House Held Up By Trees, by Ted Kooser (Candlewick, Mar 2012),
ISBN 9780763651077
o The Dark, by Lemony Snicket (Little, Brown, Apr 2013), ISBN
9780316187480
Kate Greenway Shortlist 2014
o Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, by Barnett (Candlewick, Oct 2014),
ISBN 9780763662295
Other books illustrated
o The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series of novels by
Maryrose Wood (published by Balzer + Bray)
o Book I: The Mysterious Howling (Feb 2010), ISBN
9780061791055
o Book II: The Hidden Gallery (Feb 2011), ISBN 9780061791123
o Book III: The Unseen Guest (Mar 2012), ISBN 9780061791185
o Book IV: The Interrupted Tale (Dec 2013), ISBN 9780061791222
(Book V: The Unmapped Sea (Apr 2015), ISBN
9780062110411, was illustrated by Eliza Wheeler)
o Vanished, by Sheela Chari (Hyperion, July 2011), ISBN
9781423131632
o The Watch that Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic, by Allan
Wolf (Candlewick, Mar 2013), ISBN 9780763663315
o The Witch's Boy, by Kelly Barnhill (Algonquin, Sep 2014), ISBN
9781616203511
o The Nest, by Kenneth Oppel (Simon & Schuster, Oct 2015), ISBN
9781481432320
o Pax, by Sara Pennypacker (Balzer + Bray, Feb 2016), ISBN
9780062377012

References
Awards, The CILIP Carnegies & Kate Greenaway Children's Book. The Kate
Greenaway Medal Full List of Winners. n.d.
http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/greenaway/full_list_of_winners.php.
March 2016.

Children, Association for Library Service to. (Theodor Seuss) Geisel Award winners
and honor books, 2006-present. n.d.
http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/geiselaward/geiselawardpas
twinners. March 2016.
Guide, Children's Book. This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen. 2016.
http://childrensbooksguide.com/reviews/this-is-not-my-hat-by-jon-klassen.
March 2016.
Noble, Barnes &. This Is Not My Hat. n.d. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/this-isnot-my-hat-jon-klassen/1109483289#productInfoTabs. March 2016.
Wikipedia. Jon Klassen. 28 January 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Klassen.
March 2016.