A porcupine carries about thirty thousand quills and, in almost every other respect, is a slow, nearsighted, tree-climbing vegetarian that would very much like to be left alone. Picture-book authors have been unable to resist the gap between those two facts for decades. The porcupine on these pages is the one nobody will hug, the one whose balloon always pops, the one who lives by himself and insists he prefers it, and the one who turns out to be the best friend in the forest once somebody figures out the angle of approach.
Bookroo's collection of 53 porcupine books runs from touch-and-feel board books to a Boston Globe–Horn Book winner set in Dimwood Forest. Our editors picked thirteen that show the range: the porcupine misnamed Fluffy, the one who is jealous of a tree, the one banned from the graduation balloons, a stone-soup folktale told with quills, and the foulmouthed old curmudgeon who accidentally adopts a litter of fox kits. Start with the shortlist, then browse the board shelf for the very youngest, the picture shelf for read-alouds, or the chapter shelf for readers going into the forest alone.
Norman the porcupine loves his best friend, a tree named Mildred. Then a second tree shows up.
Fluffy is a porcupine. Fluffy is not fluffy. Fluffy is prepared to fix this.
A small porcupine wants a hug. Every animal he asks says no, loudly.
Elmore has plenty to offer as a friend. The forest keeps stopping at his quills.
Ereth, the rudest porcupine in Dimwood Forest, plans a quiet birthday and instead inherits three orphaned fox kits.
Every graduate gets a balloon on Graduation Day. Every graduate except the porcupines, who get bookmarks.
Everyone else is hugging something soft. One boy decides he is going to hug a porcupine.
Big Duck gives the orders, Little Duck says nothing, and Porcupine is caught in the middle.
Mr. Prickles is not cute, not cuddly, and not invited. Then he meets Miss Pointypants.
A hungry traveling porcupine is turned away at every door, so he announces he will make soup from his own quills.
One animal wears thirty thousand quills. The other wears armor plating. Jerry Pallotta runs the matchup.
A rhyming board book that warns you not to touch the porcupine and then puts a touchable one on every page.
A deer mouse named Poppy stands up to the owl who rules Dimwood Forest, with a foul-tempered porcupine as her only ally.
Sturdy touch-and-feel pages, silly warnings, and first feelings for ages 0–4.
Explore emotions with a porcupine who helps kids express their feelings.
Count down as animals vanish in this tactile adventure.
Discover gymnastics with a playful board book for little acrobats.
Hug problems, balloon problems, prickly friendships, woodland feasts, and comic-panel readers for ages 3–8.
Two friends' gifts unravel their bond. Can they mend it?
A missing ingredient leads to a new tradition of generosity and friendship.
A secret admirer leaves clues. Can Pippa solve the mystery and find a friend?
Discover how friendship makes life brighter in this heartwarming tale.
Rabbit's messy room leads to chaos with a problem-causing porcupine.
Three friends face forgotten ingredients, new friendships, and a stuck kite. Can they solve it all together?
Three friends tackle challenges with creativity and teamwork, always finding a way to save the day.
A Christmas play reveals Little Porcupine's true light.
A porcupine's love for balloons leads to a big problem and an even bigger idea.
A snowstorm hides the path. Can Camilla chart a new course?
A bear and porcupine chase a lost leaf, finding friendship along the way.
A bear and porcupine must return a space egg before it hatches.
Early-reader whodunits, a Green Forest classic, Avi's Dimwood Forest novels, and one long journey north for ages 5–11.
A young girl embarks on a perilous journey, discovering resilience and wisdom from the land and spirits.
A mouse's adventure leads to a mistaken funeral. Can she return home?
A porcupine's adventures reveal nature's secrets and friendships in the Green Forest.
A dog meets a porcupine. Can quick thinking save the day?
Poppy returns to save her family, facing unexpected adventures with her son and quirky companions.
A deer mouse and a porcupine face beavers and danger to honor a lost love.
A missing porcupine forces unlikely friends to team up.
Drumsticks vanish before a big show. Can they solve the mystery in time?
Money vanishes from Piggy's Bank. Can the detective duo solve the mystery?
A boy, a dog, and a porcupine spark a lesson in resilience and nature's wisdom.
