Jan Brett

Jan Brett’s beloved character Hedgie stars in this charming story about a little Tomten who gets tired of porridge for breakfast and starts stealing Henny’s eggs. But Henny wants a brood of chicks and she needs her eggs. With the help of clever Hedgie, she substitutes an acorn, a strawberry, a mushroom and finally a potato in her nest. But nothing stops that Tomten until the little hedgehog hides in Henny’s nest: when the Tomten reaches in to get his morning treat, all he gets is a handful of prickles. He runs home for porridge and never comes back again! Intricate needlepoint patterns of Scandinavian designs frame the characters reacting from the borders in this beautiful picture book set in Denmark.

Hedgie's Surprise

Jennie Poh

Herbie is a little hedgehog who is perfectly happy at home with his mother. But one day Mommy tells Herbie that it’s time to go exploring―all by himself! Herbie is so not sure, but ready or not, a westerly wind sweeps Herbie into the wide world…and Herbie’s Big Adventure begins! Little Herbie finds that he’s braver than he thinks and even makes a friend before coming safely back home to Mommy.

Herbie's Big Adventure

When Lisa’s woolen stocking flies off the clothesline, Hedgie finds it and pokes his nose in. He tries to pull it out, but the stocking gets stuck on his prickles - and the fun begins. A mother hen comes by, then a noisy goose, a talkative barn cat, a playful farm dog, a mama pig and her piglets, and a pony. They all laugh at Hedgie, especially when he pretends he’s wearing a new hat. But in the end, it is clever Hedgie who has the last laugh. And where is Lisa when all of this is going on? She’s in the borders, getting ready for winter, until she realizes her stocking is missing and she enters the story to look for it.

The Hat

Frances Stickley

Migy Blanco

Mommy Hedgehog assures little Hedgie that her love is enduring, no matter what changes. As Hedgie and his mommy walk home through the autumn leaves, Hedgie is full of questions. Everything is changing around him–what if he changes too? Would his mommy love him more if he were different? Will her love for him ever change? But wise and patient Mommy knows just how to reassure her little hedgehog that, however he might change, her love will always stay the same. Heartwarming and tender, with charming artwork from Migy Blanco, this is the perfect gift to share and read aloud.

Love You Always

Steve Wilson

Lucy Trapper

In this sequel to Hedgehugs, Horace and Hattie return for another sweet story of friendship. 
It’s spring! And everything is colorful—rainbows in the sky and flowers blossoming on trees. When Horace and Hattie Hedgehog see a caterpillar become a butterfly and take flight, they decide to try a transformation of their own. When these two best friends put their minds to solving a problem, nothing can stand in their way!

Hedgehugs and the Hattiepillar

Lucy Tapper

Horace and Hattie are hedgehogs and the very best of friends. Together they make shadow puppets, follow slimy snail trails, and search for spider webs. One autumn day they are watching the leaves fall from the trees when they hear a squeak . . . Could it be a new friend to play with?

Hedgehugs: Autumn Hide-and-Squeak

Yuri Norstein

Francesca Yarbusova

Hedgehog in the Fog is an international bestseller which has already been published in many languages. The book is based on Francesca
Yarbusova’s sketches to the award-winning animated film directed by Yuri
Norstein. It is about the adventures of the philosophical little Hedgehog on his way to meet with his friend Bear. Along the way Hedgehog enters into a mysterious fog in which he encounters a horse, a dog, an owl, and a fish.

Hedgehog in the Fog

In this sequel to Hedgehugs, Horace and Hattie return for another sweet story of friendship.

It’s spring! And everything is colorful—rainbows in the sky and flowers blossoming on trees. When Horace and Hattie Hedgehog see a caterpillar become a butterfly and take flight, they decide to try a transformation of their own. When these two best friends put their minds to solving a problem, nothing can stand in their way!

Hedgehugs and the Hattipillar

Pablo Albo

Gomez

Hedgehog and Rabbit enjoy eating cabbages and looking for snails in their peaceful garden. When the sun is suddenly blocked by a stubborn cloud, the two friends need to come up with a plan to chase that cloud away.

Hedgehog and Rabbit: The Stubborn Cloud

Jessixa  Bagley

How do you say goodbye to your best friend? When a little hedgehog’s family tells her they’re moving far away, she and her anteater best friend decide to play one last time, like nothing is changing. And though it’s hard, they discover that while some things have to change, the most important things find a way of working out.

Before I Leave

Cate James

Join Florence the hedgehog and she sets out on a winter adventure in this beautifully illustrated picture book. 

Winter is approaching, and Florence the hedgehog wants to go outside and play in the woods with her squirrel friends before it’s time to hibernate. As it starts to get cold, Florence isn’t sure she’s having fun anymore. With the help of her friends, is she able to make it home in time for dinner and her long winter snooze?

Go Home, Little One

Yu-Hsuan Huang

Meet Baby Hedgehog! Where does Baby Hedgehog live? How does Baby Hedgehog find a tasty treat? Follow along as he experiences his world, from playtime to bedtime. The simple, comforting stories in this go-to baby gift series have made it a multimillion seller. Featuring a permanently attached plush finger puppet, each volume offers parents and children a fun, interactive way to play and read as they build a lifelong love of books together.

Baby Hedgehog: Finger Puppet Book

Maureen Fergus

Carey Sookocheff

Buddy does not know what is in the box that Meredith carries into the living room. But when the small, prickly creature says he is a pirate — and that Buddy is a pirate too — the two mismatched friends are off on a grand adventure. In this first book in the Buddy and Earl series, a dog who likes to play by the rules meets a hedgehog who knows no limits. Their friendship is tender and loyal, and their adventures are funny and imaginative.

Buddy and Earl

Buddy and Earl know that with the right education they can become anything — even a dentist or a hot-dog vendor! So they eagerly gather their silly, smelly supplies and head to school. Soon after they arrive, their teacher, Miss Meredith, is called away and Professor Earl takes charge of the classroom. Buddy works hard at lessons like Sniffing Things, Tail Chasing and Scratching Itches. And when Professor Earl announces that one very special student is going to win a major award? Buddy cannot imagine who that lucky student might be…

Buddy and Earl Go to School

Buddy and Earl are safely tucked in for the night; Buddy on his blanket and Earl in his cage. But just as Buddy settles in for a nice, long sleep, Earl says it’s time to say “Bon voyage.” Soon these mismatched pals are at it again, exploring the wilds of the kitchen and defending a lovely lady hedgehog — who may or may not be Mom’s hairbrush — from imminent danger. When they’ve finally vanquished the greatest monster of all — the vacuum cleaner — it’s time for some well-earned shut-eye

Buddy and Earl Go Exploring

When Wonder Buddy and Super Earl learn that the Evil Doctor Stinker is planning to shut down the only hamburger factory in town, they know they have to find the supervillain’s secret lair — fast! Hopping into the Earl-mobile, they race into the yard next door where they come face-to-face with the new neighbors.

Buddy and Earl Meet the Neighbors

In Buddy and Earl and the Great Big Baby, Mom’s friend Mrs. Cunningham is coming for a visit, and she’s bringing her baby! While Buddy tries to explain the ins and outs of babydom to Earl, neither of them is prepared for the chaos the small and adorable creature brings with him.

Buddy and Earl and the Great Big Baby

Beatrix Potter

The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-winkle is an original classic by Beatrix Potter. The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-winkle was first published in 1905, and is as charming today as it was then. It tells the tale of a hidden home high in the hills. It is discovered one day by a little girl called Lucie, who is in search of her missing pocket handkerchiefs. She knocks on the tiny door, and meets Mrs Tiggy-winkle who does all the washing and ironing for the neighbouring animals. Lucie spends a lovely day helping her, and it’s only right at the end of the day that she realises Mrs Tiggy-winkle is a hedgehog!

The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle

Tammi Sauer

Lynn Munsinger

The Truman Elementary Troublemakers are a bad bunch. Especially these three: Cap’n Catastrophe, Destructo Dude, and Make-My-Day May. But they are no match for Ginny Louise, the new hedgehog in school. Her unwavering cheerfulness in the face of their bullying will make young readers holler with glee. Full of rhymes, wordplay, and comic misunderstanding, this book will lend itself well to reading aloud as well as discussions about peer dynamics.

Ginny Louise and the School Showdown

Kat Yeh

Chuck Groenink

Little Hedgehog is very lonely. But then she overhears passersby talking about something that gives her hope-something called a Friend Ship! Hedgehog imagines a ship filled with friends of all kinds, and soon she’s ready to hit the open seas in a boat of her own to track it down. Along the way, she meets other lonely animals eager to join her quest. They search north. They search south. They search east. But Hedgehog and her new friends can’t find the Ship anywhere! Until she realizes she knows just where the Friend Ship is. . . This heartwarming tale by Kat Yeh, with charming illustrations by Chuck Groenink, proves that sometimes, what you’re searching for is right in front of you.

The Friend Ship

Jane McGuinness

When the sun has set, Hedgehog’s day has only just begun. She’s out and about, snuffling through layers of leaves and twigs as she searches for bugs and other things to eat. Young animal lovers will enjoy following Hedgehog and her little hoglets through towns and gardens, parks and woodland, as they sniff-sniff-sniff for food. The facts threaded throughout this inviting story augment the charming illustrations and will satisfy the most inquisitive of readers.

Prickly Hedgehogs!

When winter comes, Hedgie tries to stay awake so he doesn’t miss out on all the fun his friends are having.

Snow is on the way, and as Hedgie trundles around the farm all his friends tell him of the winter-time fun he will miss as he hibernates–Icicles decorating the chicken coop! Lisa making snowmen! The pond turned to slippery ice! It sounds so amazing, Hedgie decides to stay awake instead of going to his burrow. But then a snowstorm starts. Luckily, Lisa finds him and brings him inside so Hedgie gets to see the wonders of winter from inside the cozy house.

The Snowy Nap

Rosie Wellesley

Isaac is a hedgehog who has only ever been alone – and that is the way he likes it. One day an apple falls from a tree and sticks onto the spines on his back. He wiggles and jiggles, but he cannot get it off. As he struggles to remove the apple, help comes in the unexpected form of a donkey who cannot reach the apples which fall outside of his paddock. Isaac learns that it is better to have a friend and to be helpful than to be on your own all of the time. Approximately 450 words/Age range: 3-6 years.

The Very Helpful Hedgehog

Hedgehog and Rabbit enjoy eating cabbages and looking for snails in their peaceful garden. But when a scary swirling wind comes up, the two must find a way to face their fears.

Hedgehog and Rabbit

Marcie Colleen

Steve James

The seventh book in a funny chapter book series filled with full-color illustrations and adorable animals! It’s the most wonderful time of the year in the Grumpy Woods—the Great Hibernation! Mayor Quill, Humphrey Hedgehog, and the rest of the animals are looking forward to some much-needed rest, but the Super Happy Party Bears want to add more YAY to the holiday—by delivering homemade presents! When the critters of the Grumpy Woods wish for a heavy snowfall to avoid the bears’ cheer, they end up getting completely snowed in at the Grumpy Bog. In the spirit of the season, the bears enlist Dawn Fawn to pull a sleigh full of fa-la-la-la cheer to rescue their neighbors and save the holiday! Read all the Super Happy Party Bears adventures: Super Happy Party Bears: Gnawing Around Super Happy Party Bears: Knock Knock on Wood Super Happy Party Bears: Staying a Hive Super Happy Party Bears: Going Nuts Super Happy Party Bears: Bat to the Bone Super Happy Party Bears: The Jitterbug Super Happy Party Bears: Cruising for a Snoozing An Imprint Book Praise for Super Happy Party Bears: Knock Knock on Wood: “The pure delight of the story will easily draw youngsters in and probably turn a few grumpy frowns upside down.” ?The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (BCCB)

Tiny Prancer

Cory Leonardo

The Wizard of Oz meets The Wind in the Willows in this next middle grade novel from the author of The Simple Art of Flying, in which a theater-dwelling, Oz-loving hedgehog goes on the journey of a lifetime to find his way home in this tale of loyalty, friendship, loss, and hope. Marcel the hedgehog used to live with his beloved owner Dorothy, but since getting hopelessly lost, he’s tried to forget the happy home he left behind. Now, Marcel lives a quiet life in the abandoned balcony of The Emerald City Theater where he subsists on dropped popcorn and the Saturday showings of The Wizard of Oz. But when he’s discovered, Marcel is taken far away from everything he knows and ends up lost once more. His quest to return to The Emerald City Theater leads him to Mousekinland, where he meets Scamp, a tiny mouse armed with enormous spirit (and a trusty sling-shooter). Before long, they’re joined by an old gray squirrel, Ingot, who suffers from bad memories and a broken heart and Tuffy, a baby raccoon lost and afraid in the forest. And the travelers attract the attention of an owl named Wickedwing, who stalks them as they search for the old theater. From field to forest, glittering theatre to the gutter, the animals’ road home is a dark and winding journey. But sometimes you need to get a little lost before you can be found.

The Hedgehog of Oz

Three hedgehogs living in a little house on a farm are desperately hungry and decide to steal three apples from the orchard. This infuriates the farmers who set out on an expedition to arrest the thieves. But a witness has some surprising new proof that turns the criminals into heros. Word play and visual puns abound in this witty and enchanting book by a brilliant young Spanish author and illustrator.

The Three Hedgehogs

Jacqueline Davies

Deborah Hocking

Best-selling author Jacqueline Davies tells the story of two unlikely friends: Sydney and Taylor, a skunk and a hedgehog who strike out to discover the great unknown, despite how afraid they are of it. Charming full-color illustrations and a laugh-out-loud story make this chapter book perfect for fans of the Mercy Watson and Owl Diaries series. Sydney is a skunk and Taylor is a hedgehog, but no matter how odd the pairing may seem, their friendship comes naturally. They live happily in their cozy burrow . . . until the day Taylor gets his Big Idea to go see the Whole Wide World. From mountains taller than a hundred hedgehogs, valleys wider than a thousand skunks, to the dangers that lie in the human world, Sydney and Taylor wanted to see it all. With a map and a dream, they bravely set off, soon discovering that the world is much bigger than they realized . . .

Sydney and Taylor Explore the Whole Wide World

Eoin Mclaughlin

Polly Dunbar

“A pleasure”–Kirkus

In this clever flipbook, both a hedgehog and a tortoise are looking for a hug. They ask all the other animals they come across but for some reason no one will hug them. Until a wise owl explains: Hedgehog is too spiky; Tortoise is too bony.  
And that’s when they find each other! A beautiful, heartwarming picture book with all the universal appeal of Guess How Much I Love You.

The Hug

From the team behind the bestselling The Hug, a heart-warming picture book that shows us ways to be affectionate while social distancing.  Hedgehog and Tortoise were the best of friends.   They wanted to give each other a great, big hug.   But they weren’t allowed to touch.   “Don’t worry,” said Owl. “There are lots of ways to show someone you love them.”   So the two friends wave to each other, blow kisses, sing songs, dance around and write letters. And even though they can’t hug and they can’t touch, they both know that they are loved.  A gorgeous, uplifting, inspiring picture book that makes social distancing fun!

While We Can't Hug

Poppy Green

Jennifer A. Bell

Sophie and her friends accidently awaken a hibernating hedgehog in the sixth book of The Adventures of Sophie Mouse! Winter has finally arrived in Silverlake Forest and Sophie and her friends are having some snowy fun! While playing one day, they accidentally wake a hedgehog named Pippa who has been hibernating all winter. Though Pippa is a little foggy at first, Sophie, Hattie, and Owen show her all the fun things to do in wintertime. There’s ice skating on the pond, sledding down snowy hills, snow-animals to build, and so much more! The only problem is now that Pippa’s awake, will she ever be able to get back to sleep? With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, the Adventures of Sophie Mouse chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

Winter's No Time to Sleep!

Lauren Castillo

From a Caldecott Honor-winning artist comes a cozy classic-in-the-making about finding your friends and sticking together through thick and thin. Our Friend Hedgehog feels like a modern-day Winnie the Pooh. It’s so warm and full of joy and love. It’s got classic written all over it. –Victoria Jamieson, Newbery Honor-winning author of Roller Girl Sometimes you make a friend, and it feels like you have known that friend your entire life. . . . Hedgehog lives on a teeny-tiny island with only her stuffed dog, Mutty, for company. When a great storm carries Mutty away, she embarks on a quest to find her friend. Following the trail of clues Mutty left behind, brave Hedgehog meets a wiggly Mole, a wordy Owl, a curmudgeonly Beaver, a scatterbrained Hen and Chicks, and a girl who’s new to the neighborhood, Annika May. With bravery and teamwork, there’s nothing that can stop these seven from finding Mutty, but along the way they discover something even more important: each other. The first book in a new series from Caldecott Honor winner Lauren Castillo, Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us has the feel of a timeless classic, introducing an unforgettable cast of characters who will star in many more adventures to come.

Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us

Lily Small

Enter an enchanted world of fairy animal friends! Daisy the Deer loves flying around in the moonlight, whispering happy dreams into the ears of the sleeping fairy animals. But one night she meets a little hedgehog who is too scared to go to sleep. Can Daisy persuade him that there’s nothing to be afraid of in Misty Wood?

Daisy the Deer: Fairy Animals of Misty Wood

Horace and Hattie are hedgehogs, and the very best of friends. Together, they make daisy chains, splash in puddles, and have tea parties. But there is one thing they can’t do–hug! They are just too spiky. Throughout the seasons, these two hedgehogs will try many different ways of hugging. But will Horace and Hattie find a hug that feels just right?

Hedgehugs

Norm Feuti

Harry has a checkup in this adorable early reader perfect for fans of Frog and Toad! Pick a book. Grow a Reader! This series is part of Scholastic’s early reader line, Acorn, aimed at children who are learning to read. With easy-to-read text, a short-story format, plenty of humor, and full-color artwork on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and fluency. Acorn books plant a love of reading and help readers grow! Harry is going to the doctor! But Harry is nervous. He does not know what will happen there. What if he gets a shot? Hedgehog knows just what to do. He will help Harry get ready for his checkup! These reassuring, laugh-out-loud stories with full-color artwork and easy-to-read text throughout are perfect for new readers!

Who Needs a Checkup?

Harry is going to his first sleepover!Pick a book. Grow a Reader!This series is part of Scholastic’s early reader line, Acorn, aimed at children who are learning to read. With easy-to-read text, a short-story format, plenty of humor, and full-color artwork on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and fluency. Acorn books plant a love of reading and help readers grow!Hedgehog is having a sleepover! His best friend Harry is excited. But when Harry arrives, he finds out that they will be sleeping outside. Suddenly, Harry doesn’t feel very well. Does Harry not want to sleep over? Or does this all have something to do with first-sleepover jitters? These reassuring, laugh-out-loud stories with full-color artwork and easy-to-read text throughout are perfect for new readers!

Let's Have a Sleepover!

Hedgehog has a new bike!Pick a book. Grow a Reader! This series is part of Scholastic’s early reader line, Acorn, aimed at children who are learning to read. With easy-to-read text, a short-story format, plenty of humor, and full-color artwork on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and fluency. Acorn books plant a love of reading and help readers grow! Hedgehog loves his new bike. His best friend Harry says he likes it, too. But when Hedgehog asks Harry to go bike riding with him, Harry says he does not want to go. Does Harry not like his friend’s new bike? Or could this all have something to do with training wheels? These reassuring, laugh-out-loud stories with full-color artwork and easy-to-read text throughout are perfect for new readers!

Do You Like My Bike?

For fans of portal fantasies like Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor, Colin Meloy’s Wildwood, and The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, and unlike so many other fantasies that introduce readers to a world of enchantment and wonder,  The Midnight Hour is one filled with beasts and monsters for readers looking to shine their flashlights under the covers.When strange late-night letters start arriving at home, Emily’s parents set off to investigate. But when her parents disappear completely and Emily is left home alone to face the weird strangers that begin to appear at her door, she takes all of the clues at her disposal and makes for the place where the letters came from – the mysterious Night Post. What she’ll discover is the secret world of the Midnight Hour – a Victorian London frozen in time, full of magic and monsters. Kept safe by an age-old agreement, the Night Folk have been exiled to a parallel world that can only be accessed by a selected few, including the mail carriers of the infamous Night Post that operate between the two worlds. Emily’s parents are key players in keeping the Night Folk safe, but when the division of the two worlds is threatened, Emily must search for her parents while navigating this dark and unknown version of London. Armed only with a packed lunch, her very sleepy pocket hedgehog, and her infamously big argumentative mouth, she must escape bloodthirsty creatures of the night, figure out her own family secrets, and maybe just save the world. This is a frightening and enchanting story, a world built out of creatures from our worst fears who become relatable, fully formed characters unlike any we’ve seen as these strangers of parallel worlds band together to save the day.

Top 10 Hedgehogs Books