Pamela Paul of the New Yoprk Times examines the plot of I Want my Hat back. In this review, Pamela connects the way that the rabbit makes silly excuses to the way that young children make excises. She observes that young children will really examine their own lies as they read this book.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/13/books/review/not-just-another-bear-story.html?_r=0