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Always remember to keep an eye on your pants the next time you’re on a hike and desperately need the loo. In this crack-up tale a young boy finds out the hard way that he should never have left his pants unattended when an unfortunately prickly pal moves in. His poor bottom gets a particularly raw deal and no amount of jumping, dancing or shaking to and fro can extract the little fella. It seems only taking his pants back off will relieve his burning botty but leaves both him and the hedgehog shivering in the breeze. Luckily, the boy thinks of a solution that will suit the two of them just right.
The warning given on the front cover definitely fulfilled its promise as this story certainly contains multiple words for ‘bottom’ and we all know how much young children enjoy saying that! There’s a HEDGEHOG in my PANTS! had my preschool class giggling away and feeling highly entertained at all the different ways to say ‘bottom’! Silly stories give children an appropriate time and outlet to enjoy a laugh about the funniest part of our anatomy and this one sure delivered.
Children love when they know something that the main character in the book doesn’t and There’s a HEDGEHOG in my PANTS! ends exactly like that, leaving room for discussion about what could happen next. Ross Kinnaird’s fun and comical illustrations and Amy Harrop’s amusing and wonderfully rhyming story is sure to draw a chuckle from little ones as well as broadening their vocabulary for one particular part of their body.
Reviewed by Alana Bird
There’s a HEDGEHOG in my PANTS!
by Amy Harrop, illustrated by Ross Kinnaird
Published by Scholastic NZ
ISBN 9781775435655
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