Escape from Hat by Adam Kline, Brian Taylor
Published by HarperCollins on March 3, 2020
ISBN: 0062839977
Pages: 176
Genres: Fantasy, Humor, Mystery
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

Every person has good luck and bad luck, but few realize it’s because of a rabbit and a black cat that follow them everywhere intervening to outdo the other. When Cecil Bean’s rabbit, Leek, is taken by a magician with questionable skills, things change drastically. Leek is put into the magician’s hat, and he disappears. The only problem is that the magician has no idea how to make the rabbits reappear from the hat. The hat is actually magical, and within its depths, there are tons of missing rabbits as well as many many more sinister things. With the help of some other rabbits, Leek is determined to escape the hat and get back to Cecil, but their journey will be far from easy. And will they ever be able to actually escape?

This debut novel by acclaimed screen writer, Adam Kline, will delight fantasy fans and will be a hit with those who like a little bit of a darker tale. It’s very well written with complexities and nuances that you never expect until they’re right in front of you. Amidst the sinister and dark plot, there is abundant humor — dry, subtle, and quirky, but it’s there. There are some beautiful illustrations throughout, and they really help to bring the story to life. They are simultaneously cartoonish and dark, and fit the tone of the book perfectly. Recommended for 3rd grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME