Our Friend Hedgehog series by Lauren Castillo

“I have never, ever been without Mutty, and he has never been without me,” Hedgehog explained. “We need each other.” Mole was a very good listener. She nodded in all the right places and rested a comforting paw on Hedgehog’s quills. It felt good to have someone to talk to in this big, scary forest.

The cover will help you anticipate some of this plot. You can see a woodland setting, a toy dog wearing a jumper (sweater), a girl with a camera, an owl, beaver, mole and some chickens. With only ten short chapters and 128 pages this is a perfect book for a newly independent reader. And as a bonus it begins with a map! I also loved the way each character has a distinct voice and personality and Lauren Castillo has included some little jokes along the way. 

Here is an example: “Peep!” Chick Two bounced off Chick One. “Peep, peep!” Chick One bounced off Chick Two. And the two leap-chicked right back into the brush. “For peep’s sake!” groaned Beaver.

Opening sentence - Notice the way the narrator speaks directly to the reader:

Sometimes you make a friend and it feels like you have known that friend your entire life. Hedgehog, Mutty, Mole, Owl, Beaver, Hen and Chicks, and me, Annika Mae. You might think it has always been this way, but it has not. There was a series of events that brought us all together. This is our friendship story. This is the story of us.

Blurb from author page: Hedgehog lives on a teeny-tiny island with only her stuffed dog, Mutty, for company. When a great storm carries Mutty away, she embarks on a quest to find her friend. Following the trail of clues Mutty left behind, brave Hedgehog meets a wiggly Mole, a wordy Owl, a curmudgeonly Beaver, a scatterbrained Hen and Chicks, and a girl who's new to the neighborhood, Annika May. With bravery and teamwork, there's nothing that can stop these seven from finding Mutty, but along the way they discover something even more important: each other.

You will need to talk to your young reading companion about instamatic or Polaroid cameras!

Awards:

• Junior Library Guild Selection
• Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year SELECTION 2021
• Chicago Public Library Best Books SELECTION 2020
• Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Books SELECTION 2020
• School Library Journal Best Book of the Year SELECTION 2020
• ALSC Notable Children’s Books LONGLIST 2021

I saw the third book from this series mentioned on social media and I was curious BUT here in Australia these books are way outside the budget of a school library at over AUS$45 each. That's why I purchased the ebook version of Book One. I really enjoyed my dip into this series SO if these ever arrive here in paperback for a better price you might consider adding them to your school library - I am always on the hunt for simple early chapter books with colour illustrations and most importantly appealing stories.

Bookseller blurb: Autumn leaves are falling in Hedge Hollow, and the change in season brings with it a spiny surprise... another hedgehog! 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…

Bookseller blurb: When the humans of Hedge Hollow head off to school, Hedgehog and her furry, feathery friends decide to start a school of their very own! Owl will teach reading. Beaver will teach shop. Mole will teach geography. Hen will teach math. And Hedgehog . . . Hedgehog isn't so sure. After all, you have to be an expert to teach a class, don't you? Hedgehog doesn't feel like an expert in anything. Lucky for Hedgehog her friends are happy to lend a paw, sharing laughter and kind words as they figure out a solution.

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, and new chapter book series, Our Friend Hedgehog. Lauren has also illustrated several critically acclaimed picture books, including Kirkus Prize finalist Imagine by Juan Felipe Herrera, Twenty Yawns by Jane Smiley, and Yard Sale by Eve Bunting. She currently draws and dreams in Harrisburg, PA.

Over and Under in the Rainforest by Kate Messner illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal

"At the base of a bridge, an orb spider weaver her web - 

a golden tapestry that will catch moonlight and insects tonight."

It is so wonderful when you make new discoveries about our world and the animals who share our planet though a glorious picture book or in this case Picture Non Fiction. Take a look at this article "Criteria for selecting nonfiction picture books."

There are twenty animals from the rainforest in this large format book. I knew or had heard of creatures such as leaf-cutter ants; three toed sloth; giant anteater; howler monkey and the famous toucan. But here are the others that are new to me.  I am so glad Kate Messner included some facts at the back of her book which I have now used as a starting point to discover even more. Read more here.

Montezuma Otopendola - this is a bird with a very distinctive nest shaped like a droopy sack

Long-nosed Proboscis Bat - they roost in trees, all in a line

Blue Morphos are among the biggest butterflies in the world with a 20cm wingspan. 

Eyelash Palm Pitviper is a small viper measuring 22-32cm. The name comes from modified scales that look like eyelashes. This viper comes in different colours  - red, yellow, brown, green and even pink.

Rufous Motmot are easy to spot because Kate Messner explains, their tails look like tennis rackets.

This is the fourth book in the nature series by Kate Messner illustrated by Chistopher Silas Neal. Kate first visited the rainforest of Costa Rica when she was in third grade on a school excursion.  Doesn't that sound amazing. Then she went back in 2010 with her family and again in 2017 partly to research this book but also to see all of these special animals again.

Part outdoor adventure, part animal nonfiction book, this exciting blend will delight children interested in fact and fiction. Kirkus

Blurb: "Under the canopy of the rainforest, hundreds of animals make their homes - from the slender parrot snake to the blue morpho butterfly. But up in the leaves hides another world, where toucans and pale-billed woodpeckers chatter and call, capuchin monkeys swing from vines, and slow-moving sloths wait out daily thunderstorms. Discover the wonder that lies hidden among the roots, above the winding rivers, and under the emerald leaves of the rainforest."

Corduroy by Don Freeman

Corduroy is one of my top five picture books and if you consider the hundreds and hundreds of picture books I have read over thirty three years as a Teacher-Librarian this is a fairly huge claim. There is an official Corduroy web site. Here is a wonderful set of discussion questions from the site Teaching Children Philosophy.

Why do I love Corduroy (1968) and the sequel A Pocket for Corduroy (1978)?

Corduroy
I love the eye contact between Lisa and Corduroy as she is led from the store by her mother. Kirkus call this poignant
I love the way Corduroy perseveres when he is looking for his missing button
I love the imagination of Corduroy - could the escalator be a mountain, could the furniture department be a palace
There is real tension when the night watchman discovers Corduroy hiding under the bed
I love that Lisa uses the money from her own piggy bank to pay for Corduroy
The final lines of the first book make me smile :

"You must be a friend,' said Corduroy. 'I've always wanted a friend.'
'Me too!' said Lisa, and she gave him a hug."

Corduroy the DVD/Video
There are so many joyous extras in the Western Woods film:
When Corduroy realises his button is missing he rubs the spot on his overalls just to check
Corduroy discovers a train in the toy department. He twists the 'button' and finds he is careering around the track at high speed
Up in the furniture department the night watchman nearly catches him. Luckily Corduroy places himself in a camping display complete with hat and fishing rod
Pulling off the mattress button the threads break one strand at a time creating wonderful anticipation
When Lisa sews on a new button she asks about his name and decides the name Corduroy will be perfect. Corduroy looks directly at the viewer and moves his head ever so slightly - a magic moment that always delights me.

A pocket for Corduroy
I love talking to the children about how laundromats work and linking this with another famous book Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
A random comment about checking pockets sets up a new mission for Corduroy to find one for himself
I love the way the artist customer rescues Corduroy and then he thoughtfully dries out his overalls. "He unbuttoned Corduroy's shoulder straps and put his overalls in the dryer ... Then he helped Corduroy put on his warm, dry overalls. ... Corduroy was gently placed on top of a washing machine."
I love the optimism of Corduroy when he is stranded in the laundromat
Again the final lines are to be treasured.
"Oh, Corduroy! Why didn't you tell me you wanted a pocket?' asked Lisa. ... (and) he and Lisa nuzzled noses."

My little Corduroy toy is also very precious to me.