Elmore by Holly Hobbie

Holly Hobbie

When you think of Holly Hobbie this image may come to mind :

Holly Hobbie is a name invented by Denise Holly Ulkinskas after she married Douglas Hobbie. Holly Hobbie is both a character and an author.  Her work was first featured on greeting cards. I remember buying one for a wedding in the 1980s. Later there were dolls, fabric, sewing patterns and other quite amazing merchandise.

In more recent times  you may know her as the author of the fabulous Toot and Puddle series. She has written twelve books about this delightful pair of pigs and there was a television series too.

And now we have have Elmore published this year.  Elmore is a porcupine. We don't have porcupines in Australia but children here find them fascinating.

Elmore lives alone in a ancient maple tree and his life is good but it is also lonely even though his mother did explain that the "L" in his name stood for love. Elmore sets about finding some company. He puts up a sign. "Friends Wanted".  But sadly the other forest animals find him too prickly.  "It was true if you got too close, you might get needled, nettled, prickled. Elmore didn't mean it. It just happened."

Elmore is a problem solver.  He needs friends. He understands the problem with his quills but these same quills could provide the solution. "They were there to protect him, like a coat of armor, but protect him from what? Elmore's life was peaceful. He was lucky."

Elmore notices all the quills scattered about his little home. I love the way some have stuck into his soft furnishings. He gathers the quills and puts them into small sets, tying each cluster with string.  Then Elmore puts up a new sign :

ELMORE

Quill pens

100% real 

Porcupine Quills

F R E E 

Everyone loves the quills. "They went like hotcakes."  Elmore suggests the forest animals could make ink from berries and use their pens to write notes to their friends.  On the last page Elmore receives a very special letter too.  Add this book to your collection of books about making friends and the importance of perseverance and problem solving. It is perfect.

I have two other Holly Hobbie books in my own collection.