The picture book author who just loves hats

Critics call Jon Klassen special because he doesn’t shy away from the dark stuff of life in his picture books for children. Photo: Jon Klassen

When American children’s book author and illustrator Jon Klassen visits schools to read his new book, We Found A Hat (Walker Books), he also likes to read “The Green Ribbon” from a collection of scary children’s stories by Alvin Schwartz titled In A Dark, Dark Room And Other Scary Stories (HarperCollins, 1984).

The story is about a girl named Jenny who won’t reveal to her husband why she wears a green ribbon around her neck until she is on her deathbed. She unties the ribbon and... .