I got this hat in China
I got this hat from a miner
I got this hat from a deep-sea diver
I got this hat from a racing car driver
I Got This Hat features a small child trying on all manner of hats. Across the story, he showcases hats from his – clearly extensive – collection. Each opening offers text on one page and hat with young child under it. In fact, all that is ever seen of the child before the final spread, is the upper half of a head. Text is rhyming and builds to bedtime when the child must decide which of the hats will be worn to bed. Text is mostly capitals, painted and fills the page. Pencil and water colour illustrations are set in almost-white space and childlike.
It’s easy to imagine I Got This Hat being used in a classroom to introduce different professions, jobs, climates and fashion choices. There is a free downloadable iphone app in which even more hats can be created. I Got This Hat features a young child who would be seen as a toddler by a toddler and potentially as a slightly older child by older children. The text is simple and rhythmic and will soon be ‘learnt’ by young children becoming familiar with the concept of reading. Recommended for toddlers, pre-schoolers and early-schoolers.
I Got This Hat, Jol and Kate Temple ill Jon Foye ABC Books 2013 ISBN: 9780733332303
review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author