A tiny fish is wearing a blue hat, and he thinks it fits perfectly. There’s just one problem: the hat belongs to a much bigger fish. In This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen, one small act sets a wonderfully suspenseful story in motion.
The little fish feels confident that he’ll get away with taking it. After all, the enormous fish was asleep. Even if he wakes up, surely he won’t work out what happened. As the story unfolds, readers can look closely at the illustrations and decide whether that confidence is deserved.
This board book edition brings Klassen’s bestselling cautionary tale to a format made for smaller hands. Its combination of understated storytelling, visual clues and dark humour gives children and adults plenty to notice together, with tension building around what might happen next.
Winner of both the Caldecott Medal and the Kate Greenaway Medal, This Is Not My Hat is also a New York Times bestseller. The tale invites repeat readings, giving families another chance to explore how the pictures and the little fish’s account work together.
Choose it for a family bookshelf or pair it with another Jon Klassen favourite for a thoughtful gift. It’s a memorable story for readers who enjoy mischievous characters, unexpected turns and illustrations that tell their own tale.
Key Features
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Written and illustrated by Jon Klassen
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Board book edition
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Winner of the Caldecott Medal
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Winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal
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New York Times bestseller
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Combines visual storytelling, suspense and dark humour
Product Details
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Vendor: Hardie Grant
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Title: This Is Not My Hat
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Author & Illustrator: Jon Klassen
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Format: Board book
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Main Characters: A tiny fish and an enormous fish
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Themes: Taking something that belongs to someone else, consequences and overconfidence
Why You’ll Love It
The little fish’s confident narration and the revealing illustrations create a sly, suspenseful read that gives families plenty to discover together.
Reading & Gifting
Read aloud and pause to explore the visual clues before turning each page. Pair with I Want My Hat Back or We Found a Hat for a gift full of Jon Klassen’s distinctive humour.
