Review by Booklist Review
During winter, the hedgehogs are comfy inside. Grandpa shares the story of the "Rush Era," when everyone was in a hurry, running and looking for something better, something more--leaving trash in their wake. One hedgehog, Quill, takes a different approach, stopping to enjoy the sun and wind. A variety of animals populates the story, including rhinoceroses, polar bears, lions, seals, and many different birds (ostriches, puffins, and more). Embodying a strong environmental message, Quill cleans trash from the woods, mountains, and sea, but when Quill collapses, it shocks the other animals. While Quill rests, the animals rush in a different way--this time, cleaning up. Spring arrives; Grandpa and the hedgehogs go outside to enjoy its freshness. To judge by the beauty of the woods, it seems that the other animals have continued the good habits they learned from Quill. The background settings, created in color-blocked Risograph prints, have an otherworldly quality, with the animals added as bright details using gouache, watercolor, colored pencil, chalk, and ink. Charming and cozy, this is perfect for reading aloud.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Around a stove, hedgehog grandchildren gather, reading cozily amid the smell of hot blueberry pie. "Grandpa, can you tell us the story about the Terrible Rush Era again?" one asks. Grandpa gladly acquiesces, recalling a time when "everything and everyone had to be higher, faster, further, bigger, prettier, more!" Tolman (Little Fox) fills a photographic image of a meadow with illustrated creatures: rhinoceroses moving pell-mell on their hind feet, a tapir and peacock running in the fray, a flock of red birds flying above. A lone hedgehog in an orange safety vest plods the other way: "Quill loved to feel the wind between his prickles. And warm sunbeams on his black nose." Every day, the hedgehog cleans up the running animals' trash, rendered as barely-there transparent shapes. At last, overwhelmed, he collapses and sleeps all winter. When he wakes, the fellow creatures have recognized his work and shared the burden--and they offer another surprise, too. It's a story about the environment, but also about community, seeing that help is needed, and pitching in. The animal characters' engaging expressiveness, their shy smiles and affectionate gestures, buoy this winsome story and give it warmth. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Luciënne van der Leije, Querido. (Aug.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Embrace the quiet moments in life while you can. "Can you tell us the story about the Terrible Rush Era again?" a young hedgehog asks Grandpa. Back in the day, "no one had time to stop for a moment," Grandpa responds. "In the Rush Era, everyone was always in a terrible rush." In the accompanying image, a menagerie of animals race along the rugged terrain, leaving garbage and environmental destruction in their wake. Trailing their path of chaos is Quill the hedgehog, who, with a long green grabber, picks up the refuse they leave behind. Finally, Quill falls over with exhaustion after the trash becomes "too much for him to carry," and he hibernates for the long winter. The forest denizens have a change of heart; they clean up after themselves and reevaluate their constant consumption, hailing Quill as the Forest Keeper. Young readers will see a parallel between the forest community and their own world, where material consumption and "go, go, go" attitudes prevail. While the story treads familiar ground, the illustrations are standouts. Tolman turned photos of the Scottish Highlands into risograph prints and applied mixed-media drawings on top to create the bright blue and pink hues of the landscape. Translated from Dutch, Tolman's text scans well and would be a great candidate for a gentle read-aloud. A vibrantly presented reminder to stop and appreciate what we have. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
