Heading Toward...

Hats keep us warm by trapping our body heat.  They can also protect our faces from sun and wind.  Hats can make a fashion statement. They can proclaim our loyalty to a particular sport team or cause in which we believe.  They can be a reminder of a momentous event bearing the autograph of a person we admire.

In Jon Klassen's two previous titles, I Want My Hat Back (Candlewick Press, September 27, 2011) (Theodore Seuss Geisel Award Honor winner) and This Is Not My Hat (Candlewick Press, October 9, 2012) (Caldecott Medal winner) the discovery of hats brings out the wild and least favorable characteristics of four members of the critter kingdom.  This year We Found A Hat (Candlewick Press, October 11, 2016) closes out the trilogy with classic Jon Klassen twists.  His writing and illustrations demand we are engaged and thinking.

PART ONE
Finding 
the 
Hat

We found a hat.
We found it together.

Two turtles have indeed found a hat.  They are both complimentary about how the hat looks on each other. The dilemma of one hat and two turtles is a tricky equation with no set answer.

One of the turtles suggests they leave it where they found it.  His companion agrees...reluctantly.  In part two they are enjoying watching the sunset from a rocky perch. This they are doing together in quiet companionship.  They are both thinking about something different; one is focusing on the beauty in the sky, the other says he is thinking about nothing but we readers know better.

As the two terrapins chat and settle in for the night, one keeps asking the other about his state of being asleep.  His pal replies he is fully asleep and dreaming.  Why does the one turtle want to know if the other is asleep?  What dreams fill the mind of the second turtle?  This third part with its marvelous conclusion will have you wondering about kindness, cleverness and truth.


One of the first things readers can appreciate about this narrative is the dividing of it into three parts.  None of us approaches a problem and solves it in one single moment unless it is sheer survival.  We contemplate.  We deliberate. We wait, listen and evaluate.  Jon Klassen's simple sentences are succinct and powerful.  They read well for readers of all ages.  Here are two of his sentences.

But there is only one hat.
And there are two of us.


Readers of Jon Klassen's hat titles are familiar with his limited color palette drawing our attention specifically to his characters.  The two turtles on the front looking at the hat is a definite departure.  To the left, on the back is the hat near desert grass.  On the opening and closing endpapers is a black background studded with white dots; a starry night sky.  On the title page more desert flora frames a single rock placed beneath the text.

Rendered digitally with powdered graphite the images vary in size from single to double page.  Each part heading has a cactus on the right and the hat on the left, alone in the desert.  The text is always placed on white on a single page or along the top of multiple pages.

The two turtles are distinguished by the markings on their shells; a square-shaped design on the one and a series of arrow lines pointing to the middle of the shell on the other.  It's wonderful how much emotion Klassen can convey with the eyes on his turtles, the direction they look and whether they are awake or asleep.  There is subtle humor in the situations he creates when they are trying on the hats or when one is thinking about something he does not want the other one to know.

One of my favorite illustrations is in the early evening.  The turtles are on a rock overlooking the area where the hat rests.  Their heads are facing in the same direction.  All you see is their shells, heads and eyes.  The one is sleepier than the other.  In this picture readers can appreciate how Klassen changes his backgrounds to differentiate between day, sunset and night.


We Found A Hat written and illustrated by Jon Klassen is a stellar conclusion to this series.  I literally stood in the middle of the children's section in a book store hugging it after I read it the first time. Even after multiple readings I still have the urge to give it a hug.

To learn more about Jon Klassen and his work, visit his Tumblr site.  Publishers Weekly has a post about this final book.  The cover reveal and an interview can be viewed at The Guardian.  There is a video and article about Jon Klassen's work at The Sydney Morning Herald.  At the publisher's website there is an activity kit, drawing sheets, and teacher's guide.  Jon Klassen was a guest on All The Wonders, Episode 296 hosted by teacher librarian Matthew Winner. Jon Klassen talks about all three books at PICTUREBOOK MAKERS.  Enjoy the book trailer.

Top Hat Mischief Maker

An early snowstorm comes in mid-November causing hundreds of schools to close.  The normal chatter in the household on a snow day is suddenly replaced with careful whispers.  Drawers, cupboards and even the refrigerator are being slowly opened and closed.  Coats, snow pants, mittens, hats and boots are taken from closets.

After a chorus of "We're going outside", silence descends.  When several of the carrots prepared for dinner are discovered missing, a realization begins to form in your mind.  A trip to the front window confirms your suspicions. A snow family is taking up residence on your lawn.

As evidenced by numerous prints on a white-blanketed field, perhaps humans are not the only ones to enjoy winter's deposit.  Snowman's Story (Two Lions, November 18, 2014), a wordless tale, written and illustrated by Will Hillenbrand takes readers into a creatures' world on a snowy, blowy day.  Is it only the wind or is there a bit of magic in the air?

A fancy top sits in the center of the title page as snow swirls around, evergreens coated in white stand behind it, silent sentries.  In the distance an owl flies.  On the verso and dedication pages, the owl swoops in grabbing the hat in its talons only to have it pulled away.

A bunny notices the fallen hat lying in the snow.  Crawling inside its eyes, wide with surprise, are soon seen peeking through the top as the hat is caught on the wind's currents.  It settles quietly on the head of a newly made snowman.  A bear, fox and penguin watch as their new creation comes to life.

Their wonder only increases when a book placed in the snowman's hands is read aloud.  As a crescent moon appears on the horizon good nights are said.  All this time the wily rabbit has been as quiet as the proverbial mouse.  Every so gently it comes out of hiding and...grabs the book and runs!

An alarm is sounded by the man of snow awakening the penguin, fox and bear from their slumber in a nearby cave.  All follow the thief as he heads toward the edge of a cliff.  Can they conquer the chasm, climb a mountain and best the bunny in a snowball battle?  Spotting his tracks in the snow, they find themselves standing in front of a wooden door tucked in the base of the tree.  Behind the door more surprises await the companions.


As you look at the opened matching dust jacket and book case, your eyes see from left to right, back to front, a scene right out of a cherished snow globe, full of good cheer.  There's a hush in the air as the snow falls.  It appears both the snowman and rabbit are reading.  The same dark forest green on the book is used on the opening and closing endpapers.

Will Hillenbrand begins his story on the title page, not wasting a single moment to engage readers.  Rendered in

6B graphite pencil, colored pencil, chalk pastel, pixels, china marker, crayon, ink, watercolor, collage, transparent tape, and kneaded eraser on paper

his illustrations will charm readers with the lively characters whose facial expressions and body movements are absolutely delightful.  How can you not smile at the rabbit hiding in the hat with only the tips of its ears showing?  Softer shades of blue while evoking the chilly out-of-doors work beautifully with the warmer hues of brown, rusty orange, gray, and red used in depicting the animals and the snowman's scarf.

To establish a desired pace Hillenbrand alters his picture sizes framing single pages in white or showing a single page edge to edge.  An individual image may extend across two pages or a page may be divided by two, three or four smaller illustrations.  To focus on a significant moment a smaller visual might be placed in the corner of one that is larger. A wonderful flow is established with elements from one illustration continuing into another or stretching beyond a border.

One of my favorite pictures is one of several scenes when the perspective shifts.  We are looking down on the top of the snowman as his friends are applying finishing touches to their creation.  They are looking up as the hat falls from the sky.  Most of the hat is pictured moving down from the upper left corner.  All we see of the rabbit are two very wide, dark eyes and two ears standing at attention from the top of the hat.  This picture is loaded with anticipation and promise.


Even though this tale, Snowman's Story, written and illustrated by Will Hillenbrand is set in the wintry outside, it is brimming with warmth.  No one can resist the lure of a good book.  I expect this one to be requested over and over again by readers establishing it as a beloved seasonal tale.

I invite you to visit Will Hillenbrand's website by following the link embedded in his name.  He has several videos about his process and workspace.  Educator and blogger at Kid Lit Frenzy, Alyson Beecher, was part of a blog tour for this title.  She has an excellent interview with Will Hillenbrand there.  A couple of fun activities are included in the post.  Enjoy the book trailer.




You might want to use this title in conjunction with Making a Friend by Alison McGhee with illustrations by Marc Rosenthal and other listed with this previous post.

Happiness On Your Head!

Growing up the wearing of hats was much more common than it is today.  Women rarely went out without wearing a hat; especially when attending church on Sunday.  It was the custom for women to continue wearing their hats when inside with men removing them as a sign of respect.  Children wore hats for practical purposes and for special holidays.  Emily Post's site recognizes the changes but it is interesting to note which customs still remain for both men and women.

Given the household in which I was raised I developed a love of wearing hats.  I wear them when others don't because I find them functional and fashionable.  Hats are perfect for changing characters during storytelling (I wish I still had my elephant and giraffe hats I used for the reading of Jumanji) or to use during reader's theater with a group.  In Hooray For Hat! (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) debut author illustrator Brian Won brings his own particular brand of joy to a group of animals who need it most.

When Elephant woke up, he was very grumpy.

He is so cranky when the doorbell rings, he shouts to the closed door and the unknown visitor to

"GO AWAY! I'M GRUMPY!"

To his surprise there is a gift on the other side of the door.  A gift for the grouch?! Removing the lid he discovers a hat inside.

Now I want you to know, this is no ordinary hat.  This is a super duper, five-decker, decorative hat.  With this extraordinary item on his head his crabbiness scuttles away.  This elephant is now grinning from ear to ear.  He can hardly wait to show Zebra his new attire.

It seems that Zebra is a tad bit cross himself.  Elephant has a foolproof idea.  Now two animals are wearing hats.  A visit to turtle and owl result in similar outcomes.

When the foursome visit Lion nothing can take away his down-in-the-dumps state.  How can he be happy when he knows their friend Giraffe is pretty blue too?  In a jiffy this group collects and concocts a creation certain to cure.


Brian Won has crafted an enchanting story which begs to be read aloud.  Even when you read it to yourself silently, the repetitious sentences will be singing in your mind.  Each grumpy phrase will get louder, deeper and sadder with the pleasing results getting stronger and happier as each animal joins the chorus.


You can almost hear the cheerful shouts and whistles along with the marching of feet when opening up the matching dust jacket and book case.  The bright color palette hollers out "come on everyone, join in the fun!"  A perky Owl on the back is perched above these words:

HAPPINESS IS BEST WHEN IT'S SHARED.

Striped opening endpapers send a statement in blue; closing endpapers are a perfect pink sharing space with alternating shades.

A heavier matte finished paper in white supplies a pleasing backdrop for the meticulously placed elements in each of Brian Won's illustrations.  His grumpy animals look the part with their frowning faces and scribbled thunder clouds over their heads.  In contrast the eyes, noses, mouths and body postures of each animal donning a hat are gleeful, nearly leaping off the page.

His attention to detail, shading and shadows, blush on Elephant's cheek, artistic grasses, the cuckoo bird, the different colors for each letter in HOORAY and the do not disturb sign transform his visuals to excellence.  One of my favorite illustrations is when Zebra, Elephant and Turtle, standing on the end of Elephant's extended trunk, want to show their hats to owl hiding in his dark hole.  Extending across two pages Won modifies his perspective by zooming in on the action.  It deliberately depicts the transformation, moments of sharing and an open invitation.

Anytime, anywhere Hooray For Hat! with words and pictures by Brian Won is an ideal pick for passing on moments of pure happiness.  Wouldn't it be fun to hand out hats for all your listeners to wear?  Wouldn't it be fun to make newspaper sailor hats embellishing them with assorted goodies?  Kids and kids at heart love hats and wearing them.  Spread the joy repeatedly as soon as possible.

If you want to know more about Brian Won and his work follow the link to his website embedded in his name.  All around the web people are celebrating this delightful picture book.  Visit teacher librarian John Schumacher's blog Watch. Connect. Read. for an interview, author illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi's website Inkygirl for a feature article, teacher Niki Barnes' blog, Daydream Reader, for her A Book That Makes Me Smile post and teacher Colby Sharp's blog, Sharpread, for his moving Ten Minute Review of this book.

UPDATE July 9, 2014 Even in the midst of a family move, Brian Won graciously responded to an email request for information about the process he uses in creating his illustrations.  Follow this link to an article at KidLit Artists.   

Follow this link to a publisher provided Activity Kit! This links to a Tumblr post of the publisher where Brian Won speaks about his artwork.  Enjoy the book trailer here and at many of the other links.

 

Feeling blue? This message is brought to you by HOORAY FOR HAT! https://t.co/7pgT0vLwPJ #HappyFriday
— Brian Won (@bwon1) June 20, 2014

Brian Won (@bwon1) shares HOORAY FOR HAT! (A@HMHKids), his brand new #picturebook via #LGBpodcast! http://t.co/4i2eFz7ah2 #kidlit #kidlitart
— Matthew Winner (@MatthewWinner) June 10, 2014

If you want to melt from sheer cuteness check out this link to Etsy for Elephant hats. I wonder if they make them for adults.

Stop by your favorite indie store to pick up a copy.  I did at McLean & Eakin in Petoskey, Michigan. Or visit your public library.

And They're Off...

You'd never know it from looking out the window but yesterday, March 20, 2013 was the official first day of spring.  In the past forty-eight hours we went from a winter weather advisory to a winter storm warning to a lake effect snow advisory.  Due to the gusty breezes off Lake Michigan our wind chills have been in the single digits and the foot deep snow drifts are commonplace again.

At times like this the best thing to do is build a roaring fire in the fireplace, drink hot chocolate and read a cheerful, new book release featuring green grass, trees with leaves, yellow butterflies and forest youngsters.  With the same gift for portraying animal antics as she did in Red Sled (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, November 2011)(reviewed here) Lita Judge's new title Red Hat (Atheneum Books for Young Readers) takes us to the familiar setting in a new season.  Curiosity and opportunity converge creating another wild romp.


As soon as the front cover is opened we are greeted with the title page picturing the child clad in a red hat running across a meadow, yellow flower in hand, the small brown cottage in the background, as four rabbits watch from the lower corner.  On the next two pages we see a wash tub has been placed on the grass in front of the cottage; the child washing the hat.  Three baby rabbits and their mother scamper closer for a look.

Swish swash swish swash

On a line stretched between a pine and birch tree the now clean hat hangs, rabbits jumping beneath as a baby bear and mother bear approach.  Temptation being too great, the younger bear snags the hat from its perch galloping away in delight.  With the flash and dash other animals join the chase, a porcupine and raccoon.  Of the two with a squint and reach, the bandit grabs the tasseled end.

Now the hat has switched to another wearer only this time it's started to unravel, what with all the tugging and pulling.  With vocal glee, Yoo-ha!, a tiny mouse grabs on for the ride of his life.  His wide-eyed wonder turns to worry the run escalating, whipping him around trees, as another flop-eared friend grips on for the trip, too.

What's that?  Possession has been reclaimed by the bear as he heads over a hill.  Then...all the frivolity comes to a screeching halt.  Where once there was a hat, red yarn is strung about clothespins.  With a Tink-a-tink tink a pleasing conclusion is fashioned for more than one.


Using only a minimum of words, onomatopoeic sounds or brief exclamations, Lita Judge's illustrations tell her story.  Rendered in pencil and watercolor there is an undercurrent of barely concealed mirth evident on all the pages.  A glowing warmth shines from the abundance of green, the hues of browns, the white, the yellow and splashes of red.  You can almost feel the sun on your face.

The animation on each of the characters' faces is brimming with expression; glee, curiosity, exuberance, satisfaction, concern, guilt and nonchalance.  Judge alternates the view for her readers;  closing in to show just the paws pulling the hat from the clothesline or the mouse grabbing the yarn but then pulling back to show all of the animals running with or holding on to the hat.  The tiniest of details add to the laughter readers will not be able to contain when reading; the mouse grasping the porcupine's quill after his fall or a rabbit's ears tied in a knot.

Each of the two page spreads throughout is framed with a pencil line, then a larger white border.  To show movement characters or the yarn will break out of the frame into the white space.  My favorite illustration is when the critters crazy caper is stopped and we readers are looking at their upturned faces.

Red Hat written and illustrated by Lita Judge is pure, perfect fun from beginning to end.  It's as if she has happiness stored in a bottle sprinkling it over her pages so when readers open the book it wraps around us.  It doesn't get any better than that.

Follow the link embedded in Lita Judge's name above to view her official website.  She has many pictures from this book there for your enjoyment plus she has a red hat contest.  Select Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast to read her interview.  Enjoy this video chat with Lita Judge and book trailer for Red Hat.