Review by Kirkus Book Review
Porcupines on the run lead to some seriously prickly problems. Beloved characters return in this, the third in Long's Happy County series, after Hello, World! (2020) and Sun and Moon Together (2020). When the local water tower springs a leak, Pauly and Polly's Porcupine Playground floods, causing the frolicking little porcupines to scatter. Now it's up to the County Mounties to save the day by rounding them up amid much alliteration. Trouble is, they have no idea how to entice porcupines back into the fold. Nothing appears to lure them back (not even Parmesan pimento parfait) until Miss Beverly, the bookmobile librarian, arrives at a prickly pear solution. Supplementing this action are both silly scenes and informative sections (an introduction to "Types of Signs" covers regulatory, guide, and warning signs, for instance) that give the book a distinctly Richard Scarry--esque vibe. Long appears to be steering away from the information-rich text of Sun and Moon Together, however, preferring to unabashedly embrace the series' silliness and sight gags. Even gags for adults sneak their way in, like the Buckstars coffee-chain ad featuring an antlered mascot and the You Knighted airplane that's full of folks in armor. Colorful cartoon art guarantees that young eyeballs will stay enthused. (This book was reviewed digitally with 12-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 28.4% of actual size.) There's never a dull moment in Happy County, and that's just the way kids like it. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
