Do you know the Book The Hat was published just in 1997? It feels like I have known and loved this book forever! Today, I thought I would stop by with a short review of the book and some suggestions for The Hat themed activities for your classroom!
Other wonderful Jan Brett books you could share with your class in a Jan Brett author study! You cannot go wrong with any choices. Click on any to learn more!
Review
First, where did the idea come from? Jan Brett is quoted as saying in a Scholastic interview: “Sometimes I get ideas from childhood. In The Hat, Hedgie starts getting teased about his hat, and he just pretends that everything is okay. That’s the advice that my mother gave me — not to get mad and pretend that everything is okay. And it worked”. Also in the Youtube video shown above, she mentions, “The Hat I made up myself when our hedgehog got stuck in a sock… A hedgehog is covered in prickles. And when she crawled in , her prickles got stuck on the wool and she couldn’t crawl back out again”. In the book, filled with beautiful, Scandinavian-themed illustrations, a young girl unpacks her winter wool clothing and hangs them on a line. Hedgie comes along, puts his head in a stocking that had fallen onto the ground, and can’t get the sock off. Each animal he sees asks him about the sock and teases him, but Hedgie stays proud, The young girl watches from the window, and eventually runs out to help him take the “hat” off. The book has beautiful large illustrations on each page with window frames on the borders of each page showing what else is happening and giving the reader sneak peeks into what is coming up.
Activities
Did you know Jan Brett herself has tons of free ideas and activities for her books on janbrett.com? Here is a page just for The Hat! She also has suggestions for turning The Hat into a play, including a free script here.
Painted hedgehog rock crafts are available on easypeasyandfun.com!
No Time for Flashcards has several free ideas for crafts and free printables.
Scholastic has a full lesson plan available if you would like to check it out here.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mentor-Text-Unit-for-The-Hat-2315398
The Hat Mentor Text Resources
If you’re wondering… Mentor texts are texts that can be used for a wide variety of reading and writing activities, and are used as an example of terrific writing for students.
- 3-4 days of activities
- Determining background knowledge
- Word splash
- Thinking through the text
- Choosing wonderful words
- Character dialogue activities
- Cause and Effect
- Putting Story events in order
- Brainstorm
- Reader Response Questions
