The Hat [Hardcover]

Jan Brett (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

When Lisa's woolen stocking flies off the clothesline, Hedgie finds it and pokes his nose in. He tries to pull it out, but the stocking gets stuck on his prickles -- and the fun begins.

A mother hen comes by, then a noisy goose, a talkative barn cat, a playful farm dog, a mama pig and her piglets, and a pony. They all laugh at Hedgie, especially when he pretends he's wearing a new hat. But in the end, it is clever Hedgie who has the last laugh.

And where is Lisa when all of this is going on? She's in the borders, getting ready for winter, until she realizes her stocking is missing and she enters the story to look for it.

Jan Brett's luminous paintings of a Scandinavian farm and the forest around it are bathed in northern light, as the snow begins to fall and the story begins, in this delightfully original companion book to The Mitten.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Hedgie the hedgehog discovers the wisdom of the adage, "Don't go poking your nose where it doesn't belong" only after curiosity gets this prickly fellow in a pickle. When Lisa's red and white woolen stocking blows off the clothesline, Hedgie finds it and sticks his nose inside, only to discover his prickles prevent him from pulling out of it. Soon all the farm animals are coming around to chuckle at silly Hedgie's stocking hat. But in the end, nimble-witted Hedgie gets the last laugh.

This magnificently illustrated companion book to artist (and hedgehog owner) Jan Brett's classic The Mitten was the winner of the prestigious 1998 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. Young readers can spend hours with this one short book, poring over the pleasing, spirited details of Brett's trademark picture borders. Throughout, Lisa can be seen in these artful frames, making preparations for the cold Scandinavian winter, never realizing that her clothesline is becoming more line than clothes. If it were possible to wrap oneself up in these warm, cozy illustrations, readers would be set for the winter. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3. A clever and appealing picture book. In preparation for cold weather, Lisa takes her winter clothes out of their storage chest and hangs them up in the fresh air. A strong wind blows one of her knit socks off the line. A hedgehog sticks his head inside, and it becomes stuck on his quills. When a hen, goose, cat, dog, pig, and horse laugh at his appearance, he tries to salvage his dignity by telling each one that his new hat will keep him dry, warm, and cozy throughout the winter. Finally, Lisa finds him and removes her sock, telling him that animals don't wear clothing. But when she goes back to the clothesline, she sees all of the animals wearing her gloves, sweaters, and scarves on their heads. Brett's illustrations are done in her trademark style of highly detailed depictions of her characters and a creative use of borders. Contained within them are small illustrations foreshadowing what will happen next. Shades of grays and greens capture the chilly autumn landscape. Against this background, the earthy colors of the animals and the deep red of Lisa's sock make a stark contrast. The pictures, story, and subject matter make this a natural for sharing aloud. And while very young children may need to have the humor of Hedgie's predicament explained to them, the book's appeal will be broad.?Denise Anton Wright, Illinois State University, Normal
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (September 29, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399231013
• ISBN-13: 978-0399231018
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 10.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,176 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > Children's Books > Holidays & Celebrations > Christmas

More About the Author

Jan Brett is the author of the New York Times bestselling Gingerbread Friends, The Three Snow Bears, and The Mitten, as well as many other classics. She lives in Norwell, Massachusetts.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Children's Literature Classic, March 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Hat (Hardcover)

The Hat is a must have for your child's library. The illustrations are fantastic and the story is so endearing. The children in my second grade class love to hear it again and again. However, beyond its appeal to children, The Hat is another example of children's lterature thats theme can be applied to adults as well. If you don't know of Jan Brett, I guarantee if you read this book you will fall in love with her.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a classic, November 1, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Hat (Hardcover)

As an early childhood educator and a lover of good literature for children, I am a huge fan of Jan Brett. This title won't disappoint for reading aloud with young children. The illustrations are beautiful and add a whole other layer to the story, making this book one you and your child can read again and again noticing something new on every page.

Be sure to check out Jan Brett's other titles, and visit her website at www.janbrett.com. It may be the best author website I've seen, with lots of activities and props to print for use at school or home.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ANIMALS DON'T WEAR CLOTHES ------ DO THEY ?, December 14, 2000

By 

"hurburgh" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hat board book and plush package (Board book)

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This book takes you into a beautiful winter wonderland.

Inspired by a visit to Hans Christian Andersen's home in Denmark, Jan Brett's latest work is a triumph of the illustrator's art.

The story is simple. It is in part inspired by Jan's earlier success with "The Mitten". We see Hedgie the hedgehog getting his nose stuck inside a woollen sock.

The beauty of the book is in the clever use of the double page format of the illustrations. We have a large central panel, which is almost like a window, where we see most of the activity. Along the top of the page we have a long narrow panel which shows the clothesline, with the items gradually disappearing as they are borrowed by the animals. On the left side we have an oval "mirror" which shows young Lisa (the owner of the hat and other clothes on the line) going about her household chores.

In the right panel we have another small oval pane, which tells us who is coming next. We get to see the succession of animals (hedgehog, hen, goose, cat, dog, pig, and horse) each eventually wearing an item of clothing they have stolen off the line. We don't see what the animals have done in the main frame until the end of the book. It's one of those picture books that you can go back to many times to pick up the various clues.

The use of the four windows on each double page gives an almost split-screen cinematic quality to the book. We get a multi-threaded and linked storyline which any web oriented reader would appreciate. This innovative approach works very well and we can expect to see more picture books pick up on this story telling technique.

The illustrations are enhanced by the use of warm bright colors within the winter greys, from the Danish flag flying on the thatched farmhouse, to the red colors of Lisa's clothes, to the vivacity of the farm animals. The accuracy and beauty of the drawings is outstanding. The keen observer will even see moss and lichen growing on the north side of the trees. We know this because we can see the dim winter sunshine on the southern skyline when looking through the forest.

"The Hat" has to be one of the classiest children's picture books published in recent years. It will bring great joy to both children and their parents.

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