Herbie is a little hedgehog who is perfectly happy at home with his mother. But one day Mommy tells Herbie that it's time to go exploring all by himself! Herbie is so not sure, but ready or not, a westerly wind sweeps Herbie into the wide world...and Herbie's Big Adventure begins! Little Herbie finds that he's braver than he thinks and even makes a friend before coming safely back home to Mommy."
Rating: 4 Stars
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I picked up this book because I love children's picture books that I might be able to share with my son. The fact that it was all about a young hedgehog didn't hurt.
The art was simple, whimsical even. It has a nice balance between colors and line detail that don't detract from the story.
The story itself was also simple, but I think that it had a good message. Children need to be able to explore things on their own, to learn their boundaries and when they need their parents.
I don't understand the reviews that state they think it didn't have a good message. When I looked up facts about hedgehogs after reading them, I discovered that Herbie, at the age he is in the book, would actually have reached maturity and would probably translate to a young adult rather than a 3-5 year old. So, yes, if he was a 3-5 year old, the adventure seems like it could be a bit extreme, but not so much when you take into account the lifespan and maturity cycle of a hedgehog.
The only problem I had with the story line was that, according to the pictures and the weather, the story took place over the course of several weeks, even possibly months. I don't think that really fits with Herbie's development or what he'd actually be doing as a young hedgehog.
So, I think this book was a cute book to share with my son and I think it was interesting for me because it actually got me thinking not only about my parenting, but about hedgehogs and what their lives are like. I didn't know much about them before this book and I like to think it inspired someone to find out more about this adorable, spiky little animal.
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