In the audio version of this picture book for young readers, a poor little porcupine who just wants a hug asks for one from her forest friends. Everyone is too afraid of her prickly spines to give her the cuddles she needs. Narrator Ramón de Ocampo gives unique voices to Porcupine and her animal companions. Whether exclaiming over the idea of snuggling with a porcupine or carrying on a conversation, de Ocampo’s narration embodies the animals in the story. The deceptively simple background music flawlessly enhances the text, giving the listener additional aural clues about the interactions between characters. This is a lovely listen, and would be especially so when accompanied by the print book. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

11/12/2018
In his signature cartoon style, Blabey (Thelma the Unicorn) introduces a porcupine with an intimidating set of fanlike quills. Despite his pointy nature, the porcupine wants hugs: “I need a hug. Will you cuddle me, Lou?” the porcupine asks a gray bunny. “What? With those spikes? Get away from me! Shoo!” A moose named Ken has a similar reaction to the porcupine’s request, and a brown bear named Joe is equally unnerved, leading the porcupine to a moment of dejection: “No one will hug me. That’s not very kind.” Blabey’s illustrations of expressive animals, set against empty backgrounds, are the strength of this simple story, told entirely in dialogue, about finding connection and comfort with new friends. But physical affection plays an odd role here: the prickly protagonist depends on it for feelings of acceptance; the characters who refuse are considered “unkind.” The potentially mixed messages about the legitimacy of boundaries and sources of self-esteem further weaken this already slight offering. Ages 3–5. (Dec.)

Praise for Pig the Winner: "The goggle-eyed cartoon illustrations are fun, funny, and appealingly grotesque in their exaggerated goofiness, and they are a good match for the rhyming text." — Kirkus ReviewsPraise for Pig the Pug: "Blabey's jaunty rhymes will make for some fun read-alouds." — Publishers Weekly

In the audio version of this picture book for young readers, a poor little porcupine who just wants a hug asks for one from her forest friends. Everyone is too afraid of her prickly spines to give her the cuddles she needs. Narrator Ramón de Ocampo gives unique voices to Porcupine and her animal companions. Whether exclaiming over the idea of snuggling with a porcupine or carrying on a conversation, de Ocampo’s narration embodies the animals in the story. The deceptively simple background music flawlessly enhances the text, giving the listener additional aural clues about the interactions between characters. This is a lovely listen, and would be especially so when accompanied by the print book. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

2018-09-30

A hug shouldn't require an instruction manual—but some do.

A porcupine can frighten even the largest animal. In this picture book, a bear and a deer, along with a small rabbit, each run away when they hear eight simple words and their name: "I need a hug. Will you cuddle me,…?" As they flee, each utters a definitive refusal that rhymes with their name. The repetitive structure gives Blabey plenty of opportunities for humor, because every animal responds to the question with an outlandish, pop-eyed expression of panic. But the understated moments are even funnier. Each animal takes a moment to think over the request, and the drawings are nuanced enough that readers can see the creatures react with slowly building anxiety or, sometimes, a glassy stare. These silent reaction shots not only show exquisite comic timing, but they make the rhymes in the text feel pleasingly subtle by delaying the final line in each stanza. The story is a sort of fable about tolerance. It turns out that a porcupine can give a perfectly adequate hug when its quills are flat and relaxed, but no one stays around long enough to find out except for an animal that has its own experiences with intolerance: a snake. It's an apt, touching moral, but the climax may confuse some readers as they try to figure out the precise mechanics of the embrace.

This is a tremendously moving story, but some people will be moved only on the second reading, after they've Googled "How to pet a porcupine." (Picture book. 3-5)