Mr Norton’s New Hat

About this book

One morning, Horace Norton finds a mouse inside his hat. It’s soon followed by a bird’s nest in the basket of his bicycle, a sleeping squirrel in his shoe, stoats in his satchel and all manner of other animal invaders. Outrageous! 

When a chick takes up residence in his beard, Mr Norton has had enough. But, when he frightens all of the animals away, he regrets it immediately. Fortunately, they’re ready to forgive him and come back… 

This charming story teaches young readers and listeners about compassion – Mr Norton is very kind, letting all the animals take up residence in his clothes and his house – but also about being brave enough to say when something is too much! Having boundaries is important and learning when to say no is an important lesson, too. 

The accumulative nature of the text is a little reminiscent of the old rhyme about the old lady that swallows a fly – Mr Norton faces more and more animals as the book goes along, but there’s a happy ending when Mr Norton and the animals all learn to live together happily.