April 15, 2018
Everyone, including prickly hedgehogs, needs some bodily contact with another animal or human.Many of the animals that Hedgehog will encounter are pictured even before the story begins in a woodland scene opposite the copyright page. If that hasn't, the first full double-page spread immediately draws readers in, as lush browns and greens show the hedgehog in "his cozy nest" looking out toward the forest. Each picture is painted from a different perspective, making this an exciting visual experience. The story itself is one that has been told before: An animal seeking love and physical contact asks everyone in the forest to give him a hug. Due to Hedgehog's sharp spines, Rabbit and Raccoon decline. Turtle just sleeps through the request. Fox agrees but then "sly-slide-slinking over" grabs the small animal in its mouth (and immediately regrets the act). Finally Hedgehog meets the other pariah of the forest, Skunk, who seems to be experiencing the same problem, and readers may guess the ending. The language is just right for the audience: a repetitive refrain (" 'Rabbit, I need a hug. Will you give me one?' he asked") and some appealing wordplay ("Hedgehog took a deep breath and tip-patter-padded close to Skunk"). The short text reads well aloud.Wordplay and engaging images are joined expertly to a theme of love and compassion without treacle. (Picture book. 3-6)
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May 7, 2018
In her debut solo picture book, Betton (illustrator of Twilight Chant) gives the long-lamented lot of the lonely, risky-to-embrace hedgehog a gentle and winsome recast. Featuring expressive animal images that pop from white backdrops and are at once softly focused and realistic, her mixed-media art lays bare Hedgehog’s dismay after he wakes up feeling “down in the snout and droopy in the prickles” and none of his friends is willing to give him a hug. With alarmed faces, they sputter impromptu excuses; Raccoon’s insistence that he has “the most frightful garbage breath—you don’t want to come near me!” elicits an especially heartrending response from Hedgehog: “I don’t mind garbage breath.” Hedgehog’s quills come in useful when drooling Fox comes “slide-slinking over” to offer the forlorn fellow a hug—and a kiss—but instead snatches him up in his mouth before spitting out his painfully spikey snack. In a sweet conclusion that amplifies the story’s directive to look beyond appearances and eschew stereotypes, Hedgehog finds his hug, and unconditional friendship, after encountering a sobbing skunk who’s likewise feeling unhuggable. Ages 4–8. Agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
July 1, 2018
PreS-Gr 1-When Hedgehog wakes up feeling blue, he sets out to get a hug, which he is sure will make him feel better. But finding someone willing to give his quilled self that needed embrace is not easy. Rabbit and Raccoon provide very thin excuses not to hug Hedgehog. Turtle is sound asleep inside his shell. Fox is eager to help and grabs Hedgehog up into his tooth-filled mouth. This is not the type of comfort Hedgehog needs, and he uses his sharp quills to escape. Still blue and now shaken from his encounter with Fox, Hedgehog is about to give up on his quest when he hears Skunk sobbing. Skunk is also feeling blue and would like a hug. So despite Hedgehog's quills and Skunk's odor, the two share a comforting hug, and they both feel better. Betton's easy-to-read text works well with her realistic watercolor illustrations. She uses plenty of white space and varying perspectives to flesh out each scene. In addition, she cleverly manages to depict the animals realistically while they are talking and sporting perfect facial expressions. As an added bonus, the page before the text begins shows all the animals Hedgehog encounters in their lovely woodland setting. VERDICT This sweet tale of finding comfort in unexpected places can also be a conversation starter for discussions on fear, expectations, or sadness. Good for storytime or individual sharing.-Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH
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