The Hidden Hat

When Mitch visits their grandparents house he plays a game of hide-and-seek with his sister. Mitch finds the best place to hide in his grandparents’ wardrobe. At the back of the wardrobe, he finds Grandpa’s old hat. As Mitch plays with the memories of Grandpa’s past in the war are stirred. The story flips between the past and present, with the hat as the connecting item.

This would be a great story to share with a class around ANZAC and looking at the significance of items from the past. The book is lovely to hold and read, with illustrations that match the text so well. The way the author uses the hat as the connection with the past is well done, and the illustrations often merge or overlap. At the end of the book there is also a brief explanation of the two hats featured in the story.