Children's Series Books Books

This would have to be one of the best kid's books around. My 5 year-old just loves hunting for all the hidden critters and counting them off. Sometimes all you see is a tail, or an ear, or a familiar silhouette far off on the horizon.

There is no better way to get children developing a sense of the different environments around the globe and the animals that live in all the different habitats: from the arctic to the equatorial rainforests and from the mountains to the deserts; under the water and by the seaside.

We have only one criticism with this book. It was my budding, junior-zoologist that spotted it. Mr Ibex in not in the comprehensive index although there are ten ibices (?) to be seen on page 26. With 300 different kinds of animals in this book, we have to give it a score of 299 out of 300, that is, almost perfect!

Not only is it a funny story, but the artwork is great, too. The all-animal band & their friends have a down-homey, folksie kind of feel to them-I was sort of reminded of an informal music jam among friends. For example, the Bear and his buddies are wearing rolled-up-sleeve flannel shirts, over-alls, and work boots, like Jerry & the band sittin' around and pickin' at home...

The other animals are a hoot, too, especially the little scurrying critters in the background. Your child will have a fun time picking out the little guys as they react to the main events up on stage. This is one of my faves!

It's been 18 years since I read this book to my daughter. Of all the books I used to read her, this one is the one I remember best. The story is funny, and the pictures are interesting for a small child at bedtime. I've often wondered if it were still in publication, and I'm glad to see it is. Try it out on your child, and perhaps it'll create a similar memory for you!

Hedgehogs in the Hall is a heart warming story about a young girl, Mandy, and her brother James. One day Mandy is outside and is putting some grass in the compost pile. Then a hedgehog pops its head out, and her little hedgehog kids do the same. The hedgehogs go in to the hall of Mandy's house and walk around. Then the mother hedgehog walks in to the street and a car is coming. The hedgehog was hit and was taken to a man from a clinic who helps the hedgehog's leg to heal. After the hedgehogs are all healed Mandy has an idea to make the hedgehogs safe from all roads and birds. Mandy and her brother think how to make a refuge for the hedgehogs. They talk to many people in the city. Almost everyone helps to make the refuge. After one week all of the work is done and the people have made a refuge for the hedgehog. Will it work? Or will all the hedgehogs die? I think the book is very good. If you like to read books that are similar to what happen in real life then it is a very good book for you. I like the little hedgehogs because they are very cute. I like the part when one of the hedgehogs is walking under a porch and it makes a funny little noise like a squeak. All around the book is very good and never gets boring. I would love to read the next four books because the author gives a lot of detail and good pictures. I wish the author would put more sounds in to her writing. I think this book should get a Newbery Award for a good detail and cliffhangers to the end.

Main characters: There were 6 hedgehogs: 1. Rosie was a mother of four whose leg was run over by a car. 2. Scout explored, and wandered, and was eaten by a badger. 3. Spike was the heaviest guy. Spike was named for his tail. It always went up like a spike. 4. Tiggy named for her clumsiness and size. 5. Speedy named for his incredible speed. He was the loudest of the lot. He helped Guy. 6. Guy was first found in a net farmer used for potting beans and plants. He was blind and was helped by Speedy. There were 3 children: 1. Mandy, a girl adopted by vets, has an interest in animals. She wanted to help the animals. She got all her knowledge from her parents. 2. James was Mandy's best friend. James' father, Mr. Hunter, was the very first to find Rosie and her babies and he almost put a pitchfork through her. 3. Claire found Guy, a blind hedgehog. Her father, a doctor, ran over Rosie's leg with his silver car. He turned his front yard into a hedgehogs' hotel.

Summary of the book: Rosie, a mother of four, was run over by a car. Her babies had to be nursed as well because if they were abandoned, they could be eaten by badgers and foxes. Then Guy was found. He was helped by Speedy, who followed him around, helping him, being his eyes, because Guy was blind. They were nursed by Mandy Hope, James Hunter and Claire McKay. There were four baby hedgehogs, but only three survived because Scout was eaten by a badger.

My personal reaction to the book: I think this book is sad, enjoyable and very well-written. It makes you really want to read on and on until you finish. But when you finish, you have this empty, hollow feeling. You got the hollow feeling because you've enjoyed the book so much. You really want to read on and on forever, but it always have an end. When it does end, you want more to read. I always like hedgehogs. I really like the hedgehogs in this story. I wish it wasn't so sad. It would be good if Scout wasn't killed. He was just wounded and he had to be nursed.