We Found a Hat
By Jon Klassen
Candlewick Press, 2016
Jon Klassen’s third in his hat trilogy, “We Found a Hat,”
presents a simple problem. Two turtles find a hat in the desert. It looks good
on both of them, but there are two turtles and only one hat.
In the beginning, the turtles agree it wouldn’t be right for
only one of them to get the hat. The only right thing to do is to leave the hat
where they found it and forget all about it.
But then one of the turtles can’t stop thinking about the
hat. He considers going back and getting the hat when the other turtle is
sleeping.
The turtle is about to secretly pick up the hat, but he asks
the other turtle what he is dreaming about. His friend says he is dreaming that
both of them have hats that look good on them.
The sleepless turtle looks at the hat and says, “We both
have hats?” Then he goes back and falls asleep next to his friend. The last
page shows both turtles wearing hats as they float off into the sky.
This book has Klassen’s minimalist style and deadpan
humor with the pictures saying something beyond what the words are saying. But
here the twist ending is tender and sweet, resolving the conflict through
empathy and friendship instead of dark humor.
About the Author/Illustrator
Jon Klassen is the author-illustrator of “I Want My Hat Back,” a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book, and “This Is Not My Hat,” winner of the Caldecott Medal. He is the illustrator of two Caldecott Honor books, “Sam and Dave Dig a Hole” and “Extra Yarn,” both written by Mac Barnett, as well as “House Held Up by Trees,” written by Ted Kooser. Originally from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Klassen now lives in Los Angeles.
