Who Took the Farmer's Hat

Who Took the Farmer's Hat?
Joan L. Nodset
pictures by Fritz Siebel
Harper & Row, 1963

As you may remember, A Fly Went By was one of my son's most favorite books when he was very small (and still is one of my faves to read aloud), so Mr. Siebel will forever hold a spot of endearment in my heart. This title is very similar in theme and tone -- sort of a one-thing-leads-to-another shtick -- but starring a round little farmer rather than a boy.

The farmer had a hat, an old brown hat.
Oh, how he liked that old brown hat!
But the wind took it, and away it went.
The farmer ran fast, but the wind went faster.

The fact that his old, brown hat eventually ends up as a nice, brown nest for a bird really brings home a non-materialistic message. That even though you love to have something as your own, sometimes when you give it away it can bring even more joy to someone else. My son's just starting to pick up on these sorts of themes in real life, so it's nice to have printed reinforcement. Still in print from HarperCollins, a new copy is easy to score, though you can probably get it vintage for under a buck.

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