Like William Steig's Abel's Island and Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad series, Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us balances small but thrilling escapades with an earnest, whimsical, often droll friendship story.
In this first title of a proposed series, Caldecott Honoree Lauren Castillo (Nana in the City; It Is Not Time for Sleeping) introduces readers to a ragtag band of meadow and woodland characters--and one human girl--who are poised for adventure. First, we meet Hedgehog and her beloved friend, a sweater-wearing stuffed dog named Mutty, who live "between the great forests, in the center of the river, on a teeny tiny island." When a terrible storm blows in one day and carries Mutty away, Hedgehog is bereft. But she knows that tears won't bring anyone home, so she sets out to find Mutty. Crossing the river is her first step not only to being reunited with her companion, but also to making new friends. On the shore opposite her island home, Hedgehog is tiny beneath looming green, gold and brown trees. Soon, though, she encounters a wiggly Mole, an erudite Owl, a peevish Beaver and a distracted mother hen and her chicks, all of whom bring the scene down to Hedgehog scale as they burrow in tunnels and raft down the river in their efforts to help her find Mutty.
Castillo uses pen, pencil, watercolor and Photoshop in an earthy palette to illustrate her winsome characters and fetching settings. Keen-eyed readers will catch sweet details, like carrots hanging through Mole's ceiling and an acorn cap collecting drips of water after the squall. Dynamics begin to take shape as the group picks through bits of detritus (aka "storm treasure") tangled amid marsh grass and shrubs. Hen discovers a "crown" but "Nope, nope," Beaver says, "That's a bottle top." Mole, who is comforting and helpful when she hears Hedgehog's tale of woe, turns out to be afraid of water and in need of Hedgehog's support when they board the raft. And Annika Mae Flores, the girl who recently moved into the neighborhood, puts on a brave front, but she misses her old home and friends.
Castillo has blended a just-right, Winnie-the-Pooh-esque combination of gentle plot and homey setting. Small details, like Mole greeting every friend with one of her multilingual salutations ("Bonjour," "Guten Tag," "Salaam") bring out personalities as much as the lively illustrations, which wend their way through the pages like the serpentine river the characters all live in and around. (A two-page illustrated map at the beginning allows readers to follow along with Hedgehog and her pals.) Young readers ready to move on from picture books will find the short, generously illustrated chapters a satisfying way to break into the exhilarating world of chapter books. The absolutely delightful Our Friend Hedgehog is sure to be an "Again! Again!" read-aloud for many children. --Emilie Coulter, freelance writer and editor
Shelf Talker: This hugely appealing first book of a proposed series promises adventure, lovable characters and sweet messages about helpfulness and tolerance, packaged with illustrations both atmospheric and sweet.