Dit is niet mijn hoed

The tiny fish’s deadpan expressions get me every single time, and the way the suspense builds with just a few words is genius for a bedtime story. My toddler giggles at the hat fitting perfectly, and I don’t mind reading it twice in a row.

My four-year-old asks for this one every single night, and honestly, I don't mind. The illustrations are so expressive that the tiny fish's guilty face gets a laugh out of both of us every time, even though we've read it dozens of times. It's a clever little story that works on two levels, which is

My three-year-old makes me read this one every single night, and even after the fiftieth time, the minimalist art and that perfect little blue hat still make us both laugh. It's the rare picture book that's genuinely funny for adults too, and the Caldecott Medal is fully deserved.