Shirley Hughes: a child in time
I Want My Hat Back
by Jon Klassen (Walker Books)
This must be one of the simplest yet most original and entertaining picture
books around at the moment. The bear’s hat is gone and he wants it back. He
seeks it in the time-honoured manner through several confrontations. We may have
spotted the hat, but very few of us will be prepared for the deadpan ending.
This is an author-illustrator who takes you from page to page with a dry humour
which matches his story perfectly. He also knows well that sparingly uncluttered
images often make for a more arresting narrative. Even the very young can enjoy
the joke.
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