TAKING CARE

Caring for others is noble, but it can be exhausting.

Now starring in his fifth book, Piggy finds a baby hedgehog in the forest. He picks it up gently and, unsure of its care, calls the veterinarian. Diligently complying with the vet’s advice, Piggy provides love, puts the little creature in a box with a blanket, and feeds it goat’s milk every three hours. Then Piggy feels tired (he isn’t shown in bed until after his charge is gone). But his friends worry enough to show up and help. Very soon—a day and a page later—the hedgehog sleeps through the night and feeds itself. Just a page more and the hedgehog is big, returning to the forest as Piggy wishes it luck. When he later reflects on caring for the baby, Piggy thinks only, “It was nice.” And sometimes the hedgehog returns for a sleepover. Delicate line drawings, most from a slightly elevated perspective, are again enlivened by deft touches of red, pale blue, and mustard yellow. Translated from Dutch, the story progresses so swiftly that the ideas of overstretching oneself and of friends’ crucial aid zip past too quickly for a big impact; earlier titles in the series have been a bit more successful. But the simple, spare language could appeal to emerging readers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Sweet, subtle, though not as absorbing as previous installments.