Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
From previous collaborators Rosie and Groenink (Mum, Me, and the Mulberry Tree) comes this splendid nighttime adventure, whose rhyming text and cool, muted hues convey hushed wonder. After a father awakens his child to venture into their moonlit walled garden, the practiced observers prove wonderfully aware of their surroundings--the young narrator notices "glowing trails/ made by some slimy, adventuring snails" and sees that the rabbits in their outdoor hutch "for once, didn't hop, didn't stir,/ just huddled together, soft fur upon fur." The humans put out a bowl of water, and two tiny, cautious eyes and a snout emerge from the leafy bushes--it's a mama hedgehog, who leads her three adorably spiny babies in for a drink. When they depart through a hole in the garden wall carved for just this purpose, father and child savor the magic: "Papa lifted me high,/ and we were simply content/ to be in that place/ where the hogs came and went." Two final spreads reveal that the entire neighborhood hosts a nocturnal animalian community, offering a gentle reminder of the world's many habitats. Ages 3--7. (Nov.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1--3--A young girl and her father have an unforgettable experience one evening, as they watch for and then see a mother hedgehog and her three babies emerge from the hedges. The girl's father learned about the hedgehogs' arrival in the past. Now he awakens his daughter to join him and share the experience. The story is told using descriptive sentences that rhyme and illustrations and show the setting and events with engaging and unexpected detail. In one notable example of how the words and illustrations complement one another seamlessly, the father holds a flashlight and spies a hedgehog emerging from the bushes; "THE HEDGEHOG, it came on a warm, dry night./ My papa, he saw it, with the old flashlight." Beneath the words is an illustration of the girl in her bed, with her eyes opened. All around there are signs of hedgehogs; she is holding a stuffed toy hedgehog, other toy hedgehogs are on her windowsill. Throughout are many other examples of the loving relationship between father and daughter. And while the story ends when the hedgehogs take a wooden path the two built for them and disappear from view, readers know that the impact of this special time together is long-lasting. VERDICT A beautifully crafted book about the joys of sharing a special moment, this will inspire in children an appreciation of nature.--Myra Zarnowski
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Review by Horn Book Review
The young narrator and Papa go outside on a summer night to observe a hedgehog and her family. The mother and her three babies emerge from the bushes, drink from a water dish, and finally venture through the "hog hole" the humans have carved for them. Serene, rhyming text and ethereal mixed-media illustrations capture the wonder in the special moment, as well as the loving relationship between father and child. (c) Copyright 2025. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Nighttime is the best time to observe a bevy of traveling critters. Rosie's gentle rhyming text follows a father and child as they slip barefoot into their moonlit yard to await their regular visitors--a hedgehog family. The narrative evokes the hushed anticipation of nighttime wildlife observation, from the initial whispered wake-up call to the magical moment when not just one but four hedgehogs appear at their water dish. Rosie's verse flows naturally with a soothing rhythm perfect for bedtime reading, employing simple rhymes that never feel forced ("THE HEDGEHOG, it came on a warm, dry night. / My papa, he saw it, with the old flashlight"). Groenink's mixed-media illustrations bathe every scene in rich blue twilight tones, punctuated by warm golden pools of light from windows, doorways, and Papa's flashlight, creating an atmosphere of safe, nocturnal wonder. The detailed artwork captures both the cozy domesticity of the father-child relationship and the wild charm of the hedgehogs, rendered with careful attention to their spiky texture and endearing expressions. The illustrations cleverly incorporate informational elements, showing the "hedgehog highway" tunnel that the family has created and ending with a bird's-eye view that traces the animals' journey through neighbors' yards. While the premise may be modest, the execution elevates this simple wildlife encounter into something genuinely magical, celebrating both the natural world and the special bond between parent and child. A sweet reminder that wonder awaits in our own backyards.(Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
