The Hedgehog Who Said, Who Cares?

While digging a burrow, Mr. Hedgehog flings dirt onto the path shared by other animals.When Rabbit sees the dirt blocking the way, he and his friend Mouse confront Hedgehog. "Who cares?" Hedgehog retorts. "This path isn't mine. / I only care about my burrow-- / warm and snug and fine." Hedgehog threatens to prick them with his quills. Nevertheless, Rabbit and Mouse come to Hedgehog's rescue when he nearly drowns during a fierce thunderstorm. Ashamed of his bad behavior, Hedgehog has learned a valuable lesson: "This path is not just mine-- / it's all of ours to share." Translated from Hebrew, quatrains with an ABCB rhyme scheme read aloud easily, almost like nursery rhymes, but it's the flat, colorful, naïve illustrations that stand out. The three animal characters are outlined in black or red, with scratchlike markings depicting their quills or furry skin. Intense blue skies, richly hued flowers, and deep-green grass have the vitality of tempera paint. The animals' homes are cozy; boxes are marked for moving-in in Hedgehog's new abode, and at Rabbit's home, Hedgehog is offered tea and tissues. In the backmatter, Aluma notes that she was inspired by a Talmudic story, but the message is a universal one that will especially resonate in a world crying out for friendship and caring. A charming read-aloud and a much-needed reminder that we all share the same path. (Picture book. 3-6)-- "Kirkus Reviews"
When Hedgehog builds a new home in the middle of the road, he is disturbing property that belongs to everyone. He acts selfishly and ignores the complaints of his new neighbors. But when he is flooded out, those same neighbors save him and take him home to warmth and safety. Hedgehog is grateful for their friendship and becomes a good neighbor. After the storm, he helps to rebuild the path as a garden for all to share. Although this little book is based on a parable from the Talmud, the theme is universal: "We are all responsible for each other and for the planet we share." Neri Aluma created a lovely story in this retelling of the tale in a child friendly story appropriate for little ones and Ilana Kurshan's translation is delightful. I loved Amit Trainin's colorful illustrations. They were full of amusing details like the labeled moving boxes in Hedgehog's home and the tea and tissues provided by his new friends....I thought that this book was adorable and would make a nice addition to a preschooler's home library or for a classroom library as well. It is a great story for teaching friendship or ecology.--Julie Ditton "Storybook Lady"
A lighthearted, rhyming animal tale about irresponsibility prods a reader to question how this picture book is Jewish. The answer is in the source of the moral: care for what you can count on, only that which we all share in common! The connection is not in the text, but on the flap and in the end note, items rarely read by the targeted young audience. This is a Jewish book because its contents are inspired by a Talmud story, Bava Kama 50b to be exact. The animal characters are appealing and well-drawn. A hedgehog decides to build a new home in the middle of the road. Digging out his den leaves piles of dirt hampering passage for everyone else. The selfish hedgehog feels no guilt; he cares only for himself. He acts carelessly with great abandon until it rains, his home collapses, he almost drowns and, now, in trouble, he needs the help of others he has inconvenienced, especially his neighbors, rabbit and mouse. They rescue him, and take him to their home to warm him up despite being put out by his actions that ignore anyone else's needs. The hedgehog sees the error in his ways, builds a new house out of the right-of-way, and takes good care of the path shared by all. The moral of caring for your neighborhood can be expanded to caring for our shared planet. The actual Talmudic passage includes a dark prediction that the home you think is yours may not always be. This foreboding comes true here, but it does not arrive as future fore told, just rain. The lesson arrives with fun, peppy rhymes, adorable illustrations and strong personalities. The volume is recommended for religious school libraries for its timely topic, its quality presentation, and its cheery introduction to Talmud stories.--Ellen G. Cole, Retired Librarian "Association of Jewish Libraries News and Reviews"