Review of The Night of the Hedgehog

More About The Night of the Hedgehog

A dad and his daughter make a kind of everyday magic in this third lyrical story from the creative team behind Mum, Me, and the Mulberry Tree and Grandpa Is Here!

A father wakes his little girl, and together they tiptoe barefoot outside, stepping quietly into the cool nighttime garden. They wait to see it—their snuffling, shuffling nocturnal visitor. And what a treat to behold not just one hedgehog, but a mama and her three adorable, prickly babies, all coming over for a little sip of water before moseying straight into the “hedgehog highway” their human patrons created for them. Based on the author’s childhood memories, The Night of the Hedgehog is as tender and sweet a father-daughter book as they come, and a story sure to inspire a new generation of hedgehog spotters.

More About Author Tanya Rosie

Tanya Rosie, an editor, author, and passionate reader of children’s books, grew up in a household filled with Iranian traditions (from her mum) and a few Scottish ones, too (from her dad). Mum, Me, and the Mulberry Tree was her picture-book debut, and characters from the same family feature in the follow-up stories Grandpa Is Here! and The Night of the Hedgehog. Tanya Rosie lives in St. Albans, England. Find her on X as @tanya_rosie.

More about Illustrator Chuck Groenik

Chuck Groenink grew up in the Netherlands but now lives in the US. His previous picture books include Mum, Me, and the Mulberry Tree and Grandpa Is Here!, both by Tanya Rosie. When not drawing illustrations for books, Chuck Groenink likes to read, bake bread, or go hiking. He lives in Valatie, New York, with his wife, dog, three cats, and several rowdy chickens. Find him on X as @chuckgroenink and Instagram as @c.groenink.

Thoughts About The Night of the Hedgehog

Oh, my. I worry after reading this book no one will be interested in sleep but only in silently searching for hedgehogs. This is a great introduction to what happens at night when we aren't watching. It is a father-daughter experience perfect for animal lovers and adventure seekers. The text is brief and has a soothing rhythm to it.

I was amazed how, despite having pages that were dedicated to one color family (blues on the outdoor pages and yellows on the indoors pages) the illustrations were still full of details. At first I thought I wouldn't like the monochrome style but it really added to the hushed nighttime feeling. The images were so varied ranging from thisfaraway closeups of hedgehog faces to an overhead point of view of the whole neighborhood on the last few pages.