Hedge Hog!

As winter approaches, doubly prickly Hedgehog retreats to his single-occupancy digs in the hedge, while other animals contentedly bunk together: the bees share their hive with the ladybugs and the foxes make room in their burrow for the possums. But when their residences become overcrowded and animals mosey on over to the hedge looking for shelter, unaccommodating Hedgehog lives up to his name. (Not one to mince his words, he posts a sign that reads “Mine” on the hedge—a proclamation that kids will both identify with and snicker at.) Meanwhile cheerful Grasshopper welcomes all in need into his humble abode underneath the hedge, and even makes room for contrite Hedgehog, who arrives with a pie—to share!—after his vehement door slam topples his home. Ample humor, displayed in punchy speech balloons and mixed-media cartoons that contrast scowling Hedgehog with his perky neighbors, helps Anstee (Are We There, Yeti?) deliver her message without a trace of didacticism. This entertaining tale will easily open doors to dialogue about generosity, forgiveness, and the importance of recognizing that “there’s always room for one more.” Ages 3–7. [em]Agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (June) [/em]