by Jon Klassen
Candlewick Press, 2011
33 pp.
Age: 3+
Interests: animals, mystery, crime and punishment, bears and rabbits
Also by this author: This is Not My Hat
A large bear cannot find his hat and asks several animals if they’ve seen it. He finds the rabbit who took it and… let’s just say the bear gets his hat back and gets lunch too.
This book was mentioned in a link I provided a little while ago, a blog post about death in children’s books, and the author has just won the Caldecott Medal for the sequel (This is Not My Hat) so I thought I should take a look at it. It’s quite simple, and darkly satisfying as it metes out vengeance (unseen) against a sneaky, lying hat thief.
Specifically, when the bear confronts the rabbit who is actually wearing his missing hat, they share a look, and on the next page the rabbit is gone, the bear is wearing the hat. Children will recognize the fate of the rabbit, even if it happens out of sight, and you know, small children believe so strongly in justice that it will seem both righteous and delightful to them. (Though the more sensitive ones may find it upsetting. You will have to be the judge of this!)
Wonderful illustrations with a dry, dark wit. For parents (and children) who’d like a change of pace from all the lovey-dovey picture books out there. (Like the one in my last post.) The youngest child will enjoy spotting the hat before the bear does, solving the mystery!
The critical moment in the story – bear spots hat…
Next page: draw your own conclusions…
Rarest Kind of Best 
Feb 01, 2013 @ 10:58:32
I love this book! And it’s a readaloud that works for a wide variety of ages.
Have you tried This Is Not My Hat ? (also by Klassen) It’s great too.
Feb 01, 2013 @ 16:22:16
I haven’t read it yet – keeping an eye out for it in my library!
Mar 18, 2013 @ 17:48:48
Just found out about this on the weekend.
http://bookriot.com/2013/03/16/watch-the-new-lemony-snicket-book-trailer/
It will be released April 2nd, I think. I’m quite excited!