A little hedgehog gets in a spot of a pickle in his hunt for a new home and a boy gets more than he bargained for during a family camping holiday.
This funny and ultimately kind-hearted story, follows the boy as he tries to work out exactly how he can get the out of his prickly predicament.
The debut book of author Amy Harrop, it is not for the fainthearted, with plenty of synonyms for bottom that will make younger readers laugh out loud.
The book is great read aloud, with an easy rhyme and rhythm. There’s great variation in the text too, with a liberal amount of bold font to help younger readers, or those less comfortable reading aloud, know where to place their emphasis.
Harrop uses lots of great punctuation in the book, and introduces children to some new adjectives.
Well-known Kiwi illustrator Ross Kinnaird has done a fantastic job bringing hedgie’s tale to life. The illustrator of I Need A New Bum brings his best, with bright, bold pictures to accompany the tale. There’s lots of fun and quirky extras to his pictures too – note the hedgehog’s computer’s symbol.
Harrop is a teacher, mother, and school librarian and her passion for children’s books is clear to see. She knows what children will find funny and she taps into that. Despite the quirky humour, she also slips an important lesson into the book. A subtle undercurrent of kindness and learning to share runs through the story.
Perfectly pitched at children, There’s A Hedgehog in My Pants is a funny story about a hedgehog that just wants somewhere warm to sleep.
Reviewer: Rebekah Fraser
Scholastic, RRP $17.99