Ouch! by Ragnhild Scamell, Michael Terry (Illustrator)

Children's Literature

Poor Hedgehog comes up against the unexpected when, after she has just finished building a cozy nest for the winter, she finds an apple fallen from a tree has lodged in the spines on her back. And to make matters worse, more stuff seems to be collecting on her back—from three of Squirrel's brown nuts to Frog's pink water lily. She can't possibly fit into her nest now until all the items are removed. But "how" is the question here. Scamell does a wonderful job of solving this problem. Simply told and illustrated in bold, bright colors, Ouch! is a story that will touch the heart of any child. The illustrations charm the reader with each animal expressing its own ideas of how Hedgehog can solve the problem of getting rid of all that stuff. And the solution is wonderful. The ending will surprise any child. This one's a winner.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1-Hedgehog has finished building a cozy nest for winter. Unfortunately, a ripe apple falls from the tree above and gets stuck in her spines, making it impossible for her to fit in her new digs. She has several friends to whom she can go for advice, but their instructions simply make her situation worse. She ends up with other bits and pieces stuck to her body in addition to the apple-including nuts, a pear, a dried leaf, and some berries. Then she meets another animal that is able to ease her situation by eating everything stuck to her. Bright spreads reveal the harried hedgehog and her helpers. Blooming flowers and the summer green of the trees belie the fact that it's time to hibernate, but kids won't mind this anomaly.-Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Hedgehog has just finished building her winter nest and is giving one last yawn before she crawls in, when a juicy apple falls from the tree and gets stuck in her spines. Now too big to fit into her nest, she asks the help of passing animals in getting it off. But all their attempts backfire as more things get stuck to her. When Squirrel pulls on the apple, three of his nuts stick. When Hedgehog follows Pig's advice to roll on her back, a pear and a leaf are added to the collection. Finally sporting an apple, three nuts, a leaf, a pear, a piece of paper, a water lily and four blackberries, Hedgehog happens to meet Goat, who welcomes the lunch she has brought him. Terry's illustrations are delightful, full of expression and movement, and perfectly suited to the text. Readers will laugh at Hedgehog as "her little legs paddled in the air and she twisted and wriggled and rolled." Animal problem-solving at its best. (Picture book. 2-7)

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