I love hats, don’t you? You can see me in a hat here. And here. And I love reading in hats, as you can see here.
Some of my favourite books feature hats. In fact, I love them so much I wrote a book about them—and a friend who loves them. Who is obsessed with them in fact, and collects them, who won’t ever go out without one. For him, going out without a hat is as bad as going around without any pants on.
Who am I talking about? I’m talking about Mr. Pockles, of course. The hat collecting dog who discovers the joys of kindness and sharing and friendship.
In honour of Mr. Pockles, here are his Top Hat Book Picks (Mr. Pockles especially loves a top hat).
Jon Klassen’s Hat Box by Jon Klassen
A special collection of Klassen’s celebrated hat trilogy, including I Want My Hat Back, This Is Not My Hat, and We Found a Hat. Books in a beautiful box, with a hat in each title, make Mr. Pockles very happy.
The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
Have wild fun on a rainy day with one of the most iconic hat-wearing characters of all time. Mr. Pockles says this is a cat even dogs will love.
Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
A classic! A hat peddler carries his caps on top of his head (until a very unfortunate event). The peddler may have definitely inspired Mr. Pockles to wear his hats all stacked up tall.
Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson
Book number 2 in one of my favourites, the Moomin Series, features a mysterious top hat, so Mr. Pockles says this story mustn’t be missed.
Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton
Children will love the “oops” on every spread. Mr. Pockles especially loves the first oops, where the silly turkey wears his hat on his feet.
The Queen’s Hat by Steve Antony
We couldn’t post about hats without including the Queen. Particularly on her Platinum Jubilee year. When the wind went swish, it took the Queen’s favourite hat right off her head. Mr. Pockles loved seeing the hat flying all around London (and he especially loved the Corgi throughout).
Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
In an old house in Paris… Twelve little girls wear wide-brimmed yellow hats and are very brave, especially Madeline, the smallest one of all (Mr. Pockles, a little dog, can relate). Don’t miss Madeline and the Bad Hat, featuring pesky new neighbor Pepito.
Tiara’s Hat Parade by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Nicole Tadgell
Tiara’s Momma makes beautiful hats but has new competition next door. Tiara makes a plan and before no time, better days are coming. Mr. Pockles loved poring over the beautifully illustrated hats throughout the book and quite enjoyed the hat parade.
When Everybody Wore a Hat by William Steig
An 8-year-old tells us all about his life in 1916, during a time when, much to Mr. Pockles’ delight, “there was no such thing as a hatless human being.”
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, illustrated by Anna Bond
This 150th anniversary edition is oversized, stunningly gorgeous, and in full color – just like any fabulous hat should be. Can you guess who Mr. Pockles’ favourite character is?
Jennie’s Hat by Ezra Jack Keats
Jennie gets a new hat, but she is disappointed that it’s so plain. She tries to make her own, but it isn’t going very well – until some very special friends give her a big surprise. Mr. Pockles loved this story about beautiful hats and generous friendship.
Shall I Knit You a Hat? by Kate Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise
A mother rabbit knits a hat for Little Rabbit and then makes hats for all his friends. Mr. Pockles thinks hats and friends go so well together. (He also loved the knitting pattern so he could try his paw at hat making.)
And finally, we must feature Mr. Pockles himself:
Hats Off to Mr. Pockles! by Sally Lloyd-Jones, illustrated by David Litchfield
Overflowing with silliness and fantastic hats at every turn, here’s a charming celebration of friendship, kindness, and the joy of sharing.
Do you have any favourite hat books? I’d love to hear about them.
I liked Miss Fannie’s hats by Jan Karon when I was younger.
Do you know the wonderful book Miss Fannie’s Hats? ❤️ Julie
My favorite: Miss Fannie’s hats by Jan Karon
Bartholemew Cubbins and the 500 Hats by Dr. Seuss.