  | Our friend Hedgehog : the story of us (Our Friend Hedgehog) Author: Castillo, Lauren | |
| Price: $21.88 | ||
Summary:
When a storm separates Hedgehog from her lifelong friend, Mutty, she bravely sets out to find him and makes some very good new friends in the process.
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| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 3.70 Points: 1.0 Quiz: 508411 |
Reviews:
School Library Journal (05/01/20)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (A) (00/05/20)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 03/01/2020 *Starred Review* In this Winnie-the-Pooh-style adventure for young readers, Hedgehog lives with her best friend, Mutty, a white stuffed dog in a striped sweater, on a small river island. One day, a terrible storm carries Mutty away on its fierce winds, leaving Hedgehog devastated but determined to find her friend. Luckily, Hedgehog is a good swimmer, and she reaches the river’s wooded bank without mishap. A serendipitous tumble drops her into the burrow of Mole, who good-naturedly joins the search for Mutty. Their journey takes them to the homes of Owl, Beaver, and Hen and Chicks, all of whom display unique personalities. Together, they follow clues that lead to Annika Mae, a girl with a Polaroid camera and knowledge of a certain sweater-wearing dog. Caldecott Honor Book creator Castillo lovingly offers up this story of friendship and bravery, which she liberally illustrates with sweet, sketchy artwork created in pen, pencil, and watercolor. Simple sentences and abundant white space support young readers making the transition into chapter books, and the gentle adventure within this series starter will easily capture their attention. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 05/01/2020 K-Gr 3—Hedgehog and Mutty live on a river island and spend their days playing, imagining, and dreaming. One day, a storm carries Mutty away, and Hedgehog sets out to rescue her friend. Along the way, Hedgehog meets companions throughout the forest who help rescue Mutty and become a new group of friends. This gentle early chapter book is sure to delight young fans of animal friendship stories. Full-color illustrations make the title inviting to readers just breaking into the longer format, and plenty of white space and larger text is also welcoming. Some of the word choices may be difficult for striving readers. However, repetition and the use of definitions in context, especially by the owl, will help expand vocabularies. The bright, detailed illustrations work well to enhance the plot and bring the characters to life. The final chapter, "Us (the beginning)," promises more adventures from this spirited crew. VERDICT This sweet adventure and cast of new friends is reminiscent of Winnie the Pooh or a calmer Mercy Watson. A suggested purchase for all fiction collections that serve early chapter book readers.—Ellen Conlin, Naperville Public Library, IL - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
