PENNY LU PORCUPINE

A porcupine is put to the test.

Like all North American porcupines, Penny Lu can’t see much, other than what’s directly in front of her, though her sense of smell is “swell!” At a visual disadvantage, “She must always beware…of cougars, coyotes, and even…THE BEAR!” Luckily, Penny Lu has a built-in defense mechanism: pointy quills that, when activated, “make her look bigger” and “feel braver.” She also has a battle cry—“I’m big and I’m brave and I’m prickly, too! So leave me alone, or I’ll come after YOU!”—all of which makes her a tough customer. When she encounters what she thinks is a bear, Penny Lu is courageous in the face of what turns out to be rocks and a stump, but when she finally meets a real bear, she panics. Things look grim, but those instinctive defenses finally kick in, and with a mighty shout, Penny Lu shows the bear what she’s made of (quills). Gilstrap’s well-constructed rhyming narrative demands to be read aloud. Readers will delight in Lechuga’s velvety illustrations, which include details such as a praying mantis’s intimidating posturing, a startled owl, and watchful predators lurking in the background. In an author’s note, Gilstrap provides information about porcupines and insight into her own childhood panic disorder, both of which enrich the story and invite conversation about bravery in the face of anxiety.

Rich illustrations and a snappy rhyming text reinforce the power of inner strength.