The Baby in the Hat

by Allan Ahlberg, André Amstutz

A simple, singsong text and child-friendly illustrations tell an amusing tale of a baby saved and an adventurous hero born.

When you've caught a baby in a hat, what else is there to do but to sail all over the world and return, with treasure in your trunk, to fall in love?
Once again, the inimitable Allan Ahlberg offers a tale full of energy and fun. Paired with André Amstutz's charming illustrations, this is a story sure to be read over and over again. And it's all true.

Genres: Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Childrens, Adventure

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

Allan Ahlberg was one of the UK's most acclaimed and successful authors of children's books - including the best-selling Jolly Postman series. Born in Croydon in 1938, he was educated at Sunderland Technical College. Although he dreamed of becoming a writer since the age of twelve, his route to that goal was somewhat circuitous. Other jobs along the way included postman (not an especially jolly one, he recalls), gravedigger, plumber, and teacher.

Ahlberg wrote his first book when he was thirty-seven, after a decade of teaching - a profession that he maintains is "much harder" than being a writer. He says that if he hadn't become a writer, he would have loved to be a soccer player. He was married for many years to fellow children's author Janet Ahlberg, with whom he often worked. Their daughter, Jessica Ahlberg, is also a children's author.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A strange story, a boy catches a baby falling out of a window in his hat. He goes to sea, grows up and marries the woman who was that baby! His best friend in the book says this is true, I was half expecting an end note to say what this story was based on, but didn't find one. A quick read, fairly interesting with good illustrations but may leave you feeling puzzled!

[Nicole]

A weird romance set in the Napoleonic Wars, I think? One guy is in the royal navy. Also, a kids book?

[Romanaus Elangwe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone's best friend caught a falling baby from a window in his hat and the mother of the baby rewards the friend with half a crown (British currency). The friend spends the money on a railway ride and is lost in the London streets when he gets out of the train. Fog and snow caused him to fall off a bridge into a river and ends up boarding an ocean bound ship. In the ship, he becomes a cabin boy, then a mate. He engages with pirates in the southern seas, serves in the Royal Navy and get to the rank of captain. At last he returns home with a treasure trunk. He walks through the same street where he had caught a baby in his hat and finds as beautiful woman smiling at him from the same window the baby had fallen. The captain returns the smile and they fall in love. It happened that he got married to the a woman he caught in his hat years ago. In some portions of the book, the author indicates that the story is true. Whether true or not, it is a captivating story that would engage students especially those who have watched video on piracy

Vocabulary words like railway, river, sea, treasure, hat, trunk and ship will animate the classroom discussion on the story. Dollar bills and other country currencies (if available) from the internet will be exhibited to the children, so they understand that other countries have their own currencies. Also, rewards for good deeds as indicated in the story could be in cash or kind; but attempting adventures as that of the captain is not always encouraged.

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3* art
3* story

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little story. Scenes of naval life were particularly appealing to the would-be pirate.

[Donna Mork · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story, a guys best friend catches a baby in a hat (falling) and is rewards. Spends his reward on a train ticket and ends up on a ship and a grand adventure. Returning one day, he sees a face in the window and falls in love. Turns out to be the baby he rescued, all grown up. They marry and have their own baby.

[Sue Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who else could start a story with a baby falling out of a bedroom window but Alan Ahlberg and who else could then turn it into a story about making a fortune by sailing the southern seas!
This is a delightful book; funny, beautifully illustrated by Andre Amstutz, set in the 19th century and written with short, clipped clauses that perfectly articulate the story.

[Layla Esmail · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was sort of strange and funny simultaneously. This story follows the narrator and his best friend as they catch a falling baby from the window. After catching the baby, they are rewarded with money and decide to travel the country with it. This story contains many humorous jokes and strange coincidences.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

The boy catches a baby in his hat and gets a half-crown as a reward.
He spends the money to buy a railroad ticket to London.
Then he ends up on a ship and rises from cabin boy to captain and fights pirates.
He comes home and falls in love with the former baby, now all grown up.

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young boy leads a life of adventure and intrigue after he catches a special baby who falls from a window. This is a cute story, and I love the illustrations, but the text is troublesome. It seems as though the short sentences should rhyme, but they don't.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Odd, perfunctory story. Great illustrations.

[talia · Rating 1 out of 5]

EW also way to mess with the way kids understand capitalization

[Jennifer Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strange story, but I liked it nonetheless.

[Alexis Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Baby in the Hat is an excellent adventure book, and the ending is surprising.

[Briana Petersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the illustrations where very interesting and intriguing. But the content within the book I think would be kind of confusing for kids especially younger ones.it was an okay book.

[Alma Toumeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the man and the woman married together in the first the woman was smile to the man and they get married.

[Mary Lawrence · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing book, but nice illustrations!

[Daisy Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about a man's life circling back to the beginning of the story. It was an okay read, but kind of weird at the end for kids.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Themes: historical fiction, tall tales, adventure
Ages: 2-3rd grade
Pub year: 2008

[Julia Myklebust · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved the illustrations in this story! However, I felt the ending was odd when the boy who brings home a baby in his hat returns from his years of travels to marry that same baby that had grown. Traditional.

[Benjamin Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sort of an odd telling. Both straightforward in the its presentation, but somewhat fantastical in the events that occur. Seems to fit the period, but come across as a bit disjointed with its modern audience. Biggest example of this is that the text reads the same throughout and doesn't specifically address the ages of the two main characters at any point. You have to go by the illustrations and a single reference to becoming a cabin boy and not an actual sailor or crew member to make a guess at their ages at the start of the story. A large age difference between bride and groom in 19th century England is entirely reasonable, but it comes across as a bit jarring until you take the time to do the math and realize the characters were probably 10-12 at the start of the story.

[Noell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story really is an example of it all coming together at the end. The boy who caught the baby in a hat, ends up marrying her.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed it more on each reading. adventure of boy as he becomes a young man and life comes full circle. will try for preschool outreach based upon the girls reaction...girls liked the relationship aspect...boys will like the adventure part.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

"My best friend caught a baby in a hat- it's true!" The whole story of how this action affected several unwitting lives totally lives up to its expectations.

The story and the illustrations work together SO WELL to create a fun, light, simple story with enough details to make it a masterpiece.

[Kixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The tale of a boy who seeks (and gains!) his fortunes after receiving a half-crown for rescuing a baby, tumbled out a window into his hat. A delightful surprise at the end caps off a sweet read with lovely pictures.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

A "tall tale' set in colonial times with the predominant mode of travel, sailing. Our nameless hero catches a baby in his hat and receives a reward from the mother and now he is off on a sea of adventures. Love the illustrations, but the story is definitely imaginative.

[Lupine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Like it more each time I read it. Simple story but tells a lot and amazing pictures. You could do a lot with this book!

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

one of my all time favourite authors.... and i like the illustrations
in this one too...
tho' not one the kids loved...

[Karla Strand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, simple story of love, friendship and adventure. And of good karma!
Charming illustrations.

[Drew · Rating 2 out of 5]

A cute story, nothing remarkable, about how a boy catches a baby in his hat, and what happens to him as a result.