As a child, Jan Brett decided to be an illustrator and spent many hours reading and drawing. She says, "I remember the special quiet of rainy days when I felt that I could enter the pages of my beautiful picture books. Now I try to recreate that feeling of believing that the imaginary place I'm drawing really exists. The detail in my work helps to convince me, and I hope others as well, that such places might be real."

As a student at the Boston Museum School, she spent hours in the Museum of Fine Arts. "It was overwhelming to see the room-size landscapes and towering stone sculptures, and then moments later to refocus on delicately embroidered kimonos and ancient porcelain," she says. "I'm delighted and surprised when fragments of these beautiful images come back to me in my painting."

Travel is also a constant inspiration. Together with her husband, Joe Hearne, who is a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Jan visits many different countries where she researches the architecture and costumes that appear in her work. "From cave paintings to Norwegian sleighs, to Japanese gardens, I study the traditions of the many countries I visit and use them as a starting point for my children's books."

The Hat

Putnam Publishing Group

Chapter One

She was hanging them up when thewind blew away one of her socks.

Hedgie found it, poked his nose inand got stuck. Oh no! he thought.I'll never get this off.

"Cackle, cackle," the mother hen said."What's that thing on your head, Hedgie?"

"Why, it's my new hat," he sniffed."Oh," said the mother hen. And off she ran.

"Honk! Honk! Ho, ho," the gander laughed."Laugh, Gander. But when it rains, my hatwill keep me dry."

Hmmm, the gander thought. And off he ran.

"Meow," the barn cat called down."You look funny today, Hedgie.""Maybe, but I will be warm in the snow.""Ah ha ..." purred the cat. And off he ran.

"Is that you in a hat, Hedgie?"the farm dog barked.

"Why not? It's very cozy," he said.

Her ears perked up."Woof! Woof!" And off she ran.

"Oink! Oink!" the mama pig squeled."What are you up to, Hedgie?"

"Making sure my hat doesn't blow off.""I see," said the mama pig. And off she ran.

"You look ridiculous, Hedgie!" the ponysnorted.

"Why? Shouldn't everyone wear a hat inthe ice and snow?"

Good idea! the pony thought. And off he ran.

Hedgie just wanted to be alone.

Everyone was laughing at him withthis thing on his head.

Even Lisa was running after him."Stop!" She wanted her sock back.

"Oh, no," Hedgie said. "Now the girl is laughing at me too!"

Continues...
Excerpted from The Hatby Jan Brett Copyright ©1997 by Jan Brett. Excerpted by permission.
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