Product Description
From the Caldecott Honor-winning author of Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us comes a warm-hearted story about the meaning of home and the power of friendship to help you become your truest self.
Families come in all shapes and sizes.
Sometimes they are joined by birth, and other times they are chosen...
Autumn leaves are falling in Hedge Hollow, and the change in season brings with it a spiny surprise... anotherhedgehog! Is it friend or foe? Or is it . . . family?
On the one paw, Hedgehog is excited to meet one of her own kind, but on the other paw, she has never felt so different—or distant—from her old friends. Where does Hedgehog belong, and who does she belong with? A journey upriver through an unfamiliar forest just might lead her home…
From the award-winning author-illustrator of Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us comes a tale of old friends and new, and the true meaning of home.
From School Library Journal
Gr 1-3-During a routine trip to Owl's loft, Hedgehog comes face-to-face with a startling surprise: In front of her stands a hedgehog! After ruling out other possibilities for what she just saw, Hedgehog realizes that she may have met her first family member and she supposes that "it might be nice to meet a relative." With the help of her friends Owl, Mole, and Beaver, Hedgehog sets out to find the family that she's never had. This second installment of Castillo's "Our Friend Hedgehog" series is a great reminder that families come in all varieties. Featuring a cast of animal characters that range in temperament as well as complexity, this story is propelled by Hedgehog's search for home, with purposeful parallels drawn to the Friend Fort that her friends are busily creating. With full- and half-page illustrations, readers will be drawn in by the vibrant artwork that shares equally in the storytelling. Watercolor, pen, and pencil are used deftly to show the change in seasons as well as the important features of these animal friends. With short chapters and even pacing this chapter book is a perfect fall read-aloud, but equally enjoyable as an independent read with a cup of hot chocolate. VERDICT This gentle series sequel is a must-have for collections that serve younger readers.-Louie Lauerα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review
★ "Delightful . . . An endearing and heartwarming journey to define family and self that will resonate deeply." —Kirkus, starred review
★ "A perfect seasonal offering that carries a warm message of family love, whatever form one’s family may take... this chapter book will delight young readers with its gentle drama, sweet characters, and humorous charm" —Booklist, starred review
★ "A perfect fall read-aloud, but equally enjoyable as an independent read with a cup of hot chocolate."—School Library Journal, starred review
About the Author
LAUREN CASTILLO studied illustration at the Maryland Institute College of Art and received her MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She is the author and illustrator of the 2015 Caldecott Honor-winning book Nana in the City, as well as The Troublemaker and Melvin and the Boy. She currently draws and dreams in Harrisburg, PA.
Visit her at laurencastillo.com
Follow her on Instagram at @studiocastillo
Follow her on Twitter at @studiocastillo
