Klassen, J. (2012) This is not my hat. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763655990
PLOT SUMMARY
At the start of this book, we are met with a small fish stealing a hat from a big fish. He already knows it was wrong but he did it anyway. Through an inner monologue, we see the thought pattern as the small fish tries to rationalize just how to get away with it. The big fish wakes up and is trying to find the little fish to recover his hat back. The little fish believes he is getting away with it, but a crab tells the big fish where to find him. At long last, the big fish is reunited with his stolen hat.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is one of those where you know how it will end but the journey is interesting in itself. The little fish knew it was wrong to steal and even goes to say that he knew it when he did it. The word choices Klassen use, make it very clear the little fish knew what he was doing was wrong. “I just stole it.” This book is told as an inner monologue from the point of view of the little fish. The entire book shows the little fish’s rationalization of why he stole it and how he will get away with it.
The illustrations in this book lend itself to helping the little fish hide from the big fish. My favorite page is towards the end where it is just 2 pages of seaweed. This invites the reader to help search and become a part of helping the big fish get his hat back. It also lends a certain imaginative outcome. The reader gets to decide what happened to the little fish.
Certain themes are heavily present in this book. We have all been the little fish in our lives at some point, but it’s almost instinctual to want justice. We want the little fish to get caught so balance is present. We strive to have this sense of a moral compass and to be able to distinguish from right and wrong. When someone does something wrong, we feel a deep-seated need for that wrong to be righted.
There is also the theme that all truths come to light eventually. The little fish knows crab saw him but crab said he wouldn’t tell. When big fish comes along, crab just points him in the direction of little fish. Even the book jacket has some foreshadowing going on. The inside of the jacket states, “A fish has stolen a hat. And he’ll probably get away with it. Probably.” Under this description is the little crab, who, in the end, is the one who tells the big fish where to find little fish allowing the truth to be set free and the wrong to be righted. This book is in a fabulous position of being used to teach children that even the best-laid plans can come crumbling down if the intentions behind them are not good. It can show how the truth will always come out and that cheaters never win. The little fish gained nothing from stealing and hiding away. Big fish found him and retrieved what was his, thus leaving little fish potentially labeled a thief.
This book is one of those where you know how it will end but the journey is interesting in itself. The little fish knew it was wrong to steal and even goes to say that he knew it when he did it. The word choices Klassen use, make it very clear the little fish knew what he was doing was wrong. “I just stole it.” This book is told as an inner monologue from the point of view of the little fish. The entire book shows the little fish’s rationalization of why he stole it and how he will get away with it.
The illustrations in this book lend itself to helping the little fish hide from the big fish. My favorite page is towards the end where it is just 2 pages of seaweed. This invites the reader to help search and become a part of helping the big fish get his hat back. It also lends a certain imaginative outcome. The reader gets to decide what happened to the little fish.
Certain themes are heavily present in this book. We have all been the little fish in our lives at some point, but it’s almost instinctual to want justice. We want the little fish to get caught so balance is present. We strive to have this sense of a moral compass and to be able to distinguish from right and wrong. When someone does something wrong, we feel a deep-seated need for that wrong to be righted.
There is also the theme that all truths come to light eventually. The little fish knows crab saw him but crab said he wouldn’t tell. When big fish comes along, crab just points him in the direction of little fish. Even the book jacket has some foreshadowing going on. The inside of the jacket states, “A fish has stolen a hat. And he’ll probably get away with it. Probably.” Under this description is the little crab, who, in the end, is the one who tells the big fish where to find little fish allowing the truth to be set free and the wrong to be righted. This book is in a fabulous position of being used to teach children that even the best-laid plans can come crumbling down if the intentions behind them are not good. It can show how the truth will always come out and that cheaters never win. The little fish gained nothing from stealing and hiding away. Big fish found him and retrieved what was his, thus leaving little fish potentially labeled a thief.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
“This not-to-be-missed title will delight children again and again.” - School Library Journal: Pick of the Day September 24, 2012
“Little eyes will pore over the end pages, looking for evidence of foul play, but all the interaction between the two characters takes place where the plants grow tall and close together, obscuring the view.” - The Horn Book Magazine September/October 2012 issue
CONNECTIONS
My daughter and I read this book together and she made comments throughout to the “baby fishie” to give the “daddy fishie” his hat back. She became distraught when the little fish disappeared into the seaweed and was relieved when “daddy” got his hat back. We used this book to help her understand taking things that are not hers and not being honest will always lead to trouble.
I believe this would be an excellent beginning of yearbook to show your new class what happens to even the best-laid plans. Truth and honesty are always expected in my classrooms and this book shows how and why those traits are important.
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