Hedgehog

The You Have a Pet What?! series introduces young readers to unusual pets through using a fun and factual approach to mastering early reading skills. With bold keywords and a Show What You Know section, Hedgehog allows students to refer to details and examples in the text and provide a summary distinct from personal opinions or bias. Featuring 32 full-color pages, photographs, simple language, and text-based questions, this title encourages curiosity as well as reading comprehension.

The You Have a Pet What?! series introduces young readers to unusual pets through using a fun and factual approach to mastering early reading skills.

After flipping through the utterly adorable full-color photos of cute creatures in the You Have a Pet What?! series, youngsters might want to ditch their doggies and rush to their nearest exotic-pets breeder. Before they’re out the door, however, make sure they get a load of the comprehensive text, which is packed with practical, clearly written information. Hedgehog profiles the prickly, roly-poly animal, from its shy demeanor and primitive origins to where to look if it escapes its cage. Mini Horse offers an overview of care, grooming, and decoding horse behavior, and though the author doesn’t explicitly mention how much space these eensie equines require, she does a good job of describing how serious a commitment owning a mini horse can be. Though the photos in Mini Pig might be the cutest of the bunch, the text wisely warns readers about how big mini pigs can grow (100 lbs.!), their potentially destructive behavior, and their very long life span. Similarly, Sugar Glider doesn’t soften the realities of owning these delicate creatures: they require several hours of active attention per night. Though most kids will be (thankfully) dissuaded by the amount of specialized care these animals require, the beautifully reproduced photos of oddball pets are undeniably appealing, and there are enough fascinating and informative facts to keep readers enthralled. Highly recommended. —Sarah Hunter, Booklist

Adorable, full-color photos of unusual animals (mini pigs, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, etc.) give this pet-care series instant browsing appeal. But the comprehensive text, packed with practical, clearly written information, makes these guides excellent resources as well. –Booklist, April 2016

Hedgehogs are not your typical pet. These interesting and unusual nocturnal animals with bright eyes, sweet faces, and prickly backs require special care and handling. Did you know that hedgehogs are one of the oldest, most primitive animals to roam the Earth since the time of dinosaurs? Learn more about these cute, quirky little pets and see if a hedgehog is the right pet for you! Alignment This title will allow students to determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.