I Want My Hat Back is a simple story about a bear’s search for his lost hat. It took us a few readings before we realised that the ending if the story is very much open to interpretation, one interpretation is quite brutal!
The Story: A bear has lost his hat. He asks a succession of animals if they have seen it before the deer’s question makes him realise that he has already seen it! The bear is very polite and “Thank you anyway” has become my daughter’s catchphrase. The story has a rather ambiguous ending!
My daughter and I find this story very funny. The animals are drawn using muted colours with the exception of red for the hat and other defining moments. The story is told completely through dialogue and is simple and repetitive which is good for a beginner reader. It’s also simple enough for a non native speaker to understand.
Age range: 4 +
Author / Illustrator – Jon Klassen
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