Reading: The Hat by Jan Brett

The Hat is a story about a small hedgehog, Hedgie that finds himself being mocked by the other farm animals because he has gotten a stocking stuck amongst the  prickles on his head. Eventually, after some strife, Hedgie’s dilemma inspires the other animals to find themselves a hat in order to stay warm- meanwhile Hedgie learns from the little girl that animals do not wear clothes.
    Jan Brett’s story made me feel imaginative. At first thought, I was not sure why I was feeling imaginative but through some examination I realized it was because the barn animals are presented through human emotions and characteristics but at the end of the story the plot reverts back to normal animal behaviour- animals do not wear clothes. The conversations between Hedgie and his peers are similar to human conversations but at the end it becomes clear to Hedgie (and the reader) that he is indeed still an animal and that he should act as one. While this interpretation seems a little in-depth for a picture book, by examining the plot in such a way I have realized why my emotional response was one of imagination.
    This book affected me because it reminds me of an eccentric little girl that I met last summer at camp. She had one of the best imaginations I have ever seen but more importantly, she carried with her everywhere a stuffed toy hedgehog names Hedgie. The story seems like one that she would enjoy to the fullest and most likely build on elements from the plot to create further stories about Hedgie.
    The plot of this book is heavily supported by the illustrations that accompany it. Without looking at the pictures in depth, the reader will still grasp the storyline but once particular attention is given to the illustrations, there is much more to the story. First of all the pictures are soft, detailed and show much texture. The reader is able to view the characteristics and personalities of each farm animal in detail through Brett’s beautiful paintings. The style of painting reminds me of art that would be seen in a barn house on a family farm. Second, the detail in the border of each page is incredible. The borders of the pages act as a secondary plot to the story. While the main image follows Hedgie’s journey, the left-hand side of the border follows Lisa’s daily activities, the upper section details the mysterious changing state of the clothesline and the right-hand frame hints toward the upcoming characters. The features involved in the borders of the book allow for multiple viewings, readings and discoveries. Third of all, the illustrations provide information about the changing weather throughout the story. Although it is not clearly translated directly through the text, the reader can see that weather on the farm begins to turn snowy and windy. This development supports why the other animals find their own hats at the end of the story. Thanks to Jan Brett’s descriptive and imaginative artwork, the reader is able to read much more than the basic story line through the illustrations of this book.
   
    ...And there it is, my first ever reading journal! I must admit, I was weary about how I could write a developed piece on a simple picture book, but now I realize I have much more to say than I originally thought! By examining aspects of the book I came to understand how such “simplistic” stories can be meaningful in so many ways. I used my reflective skills (that are developing at an amazing rate thanks to the Education faculty) and my knowledge from the chapter on illustrations while studying the pictures of this book. I am eager to take a closer look at children’s literature throughout this journal and hope to learn more about the essential material of early-reading.



Thanks for reading!