Scorch, hedgehog of doom

Instead of being cute like her ancestors, classroom pet Scorch, a round-bodied hedgehog trapped in a classroom's "glass castle," hopes that "her destiny will be ferocious! She will be forged in FIRE." But despite the best efforts of the self-described "Hedgehog of Doom," the children of classroom 402 coo over how "adorable" she is. Increasingly frustrated, Scorch vows on an apple slice, "I will be doomsy," and overnight "flies on her strategy wheel." When the children arrive in the morning, though, their reaction to her antics remains the same ("She thrusts her fangs into a papaya. 'Awww!' they sigh"). Grasso's action-oriented digital renderings amplify Scorch's tough persona with spiky spines and focused eyes. When the mammalian fighter accidentally catapults into the class snake's nearby terrarium, Berry turns the narrative toward suspense--until the protagonist discovers an overlooked superpower. Subtly encouraging perspective-taking, it's a winningly creature-centric comedy that's ferociously fun. Human characters are portrayed with varied skin tones. Ages 4--8. (July)

A classroom hedgehog longs to be seen as the fierce beast she knows she is. "High on a craggy cliff she looms, looking out at her glass castle. No more being cute like her ancestors. Her destiny will be ferocious!" But no matter what Scorch does--glowering, gnashing her teeth--the students of Room 402 react the same way: "Aww!" When she accidentally propels herself into a nearby terrarium, the snake that lives there decides to make a meal out of her. Scorch resorts to what might well be considered feminine wiles to save herself: striking adorable poses and planting a big smooch on the snake, who backs off. "She's KILLER cute!" the kids agree. While Scorch ultimately triumphs, the book may leave readers with the retro, sexist message that for women and girls, physical appearance trumps all. In the garish digital art, sharp-toothed Scorch often looks downright demonic as she attempts to project a tough exterior. Though the children vary in skin tone, they all have large, oddly shaped, nearly identical faces, with overly animated expressions. Scorch's dramatic language and her athletic antics may elicit some chuckles, but overall the tale feels like one long weak joke, with a punchline that grates against feminist ears. A one-note story with a problematic takeaway.(Picture book. 4-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.