Book Rave: I WANT MY HAT BACK by Jon Klassen

Front Cover - I WANT MY HAT BACK by Jon Klassen

I have to rave about this book, it's perfect in every way. (I will try to do this without spoiling it for anyone)

I read I WANT MY HAT BACK in a book shop, and laughed so hard I cried. Obviously, I had to have it. I have since watched my friends and family read it and laughed again with them. There are a few moments of pure magic when you can see readers registering what's happening in the story.

The illustrations seem simple, but are more complex the more you study them. Each character has eyes of a very similar, simple shape, but with slight changes, Klassen captures expressions of cunning, questioning, revelation, determination, fear and friction.

I could not imagine a better choice of typeface than Century Schoolbook, it just works.
The text is colored to suit each character, and color acts as an important visual signal throughout the book.

End Pages - I WANT MY HAT BACK by Jon Klassen 

The end pages alone are charming. I want it as wallpaper!

For a short book it's a total page-turner. Masterfully done.

Jon Klassen's blog Burst of Beaden is well worth a visit.
Took me a while to get that... Beast of Burden... funny guy.