Dr Hedgehog and the Post Box Rescue by Jerry MushinMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Dr Hedgehog picture book series is intended to be read aloud to young children. Both the readers and the listeners will enjoy the stories. There are common characters, but each story can be read independently of the others. In most of the stories, Martin Mouse finds himself in awkward situations but Dr Hedgehog, usually with the help of other animals, is always able to assist. Children will recognise their mothers in Mavis Mouse, who worries about her son and is always greatly relieved when he arrives home safely. In this story, Mavis Mouse cannot find her son. Martin Mouse has fallen into a post-box and cannot climb out. How does Dr Hedgehog get him out?
I had never heard of 'Dr Hedgehog' before, I knew my class would enjoy it, as they always love a picture book so was pleased when this was sent to me for review.
Well, this book I thought was O.K, personally I am not keen on the illustrations or the plot, this was something that my class identified too. Dr Hedgehog should be giving animals medicine or making them better, however in this story he is on a mission to get a mouse out of a post box.
It was quite a sweet and short story that would be good for younger readers to attempt on their own. The text is relatively large and although a few tricky words, that they children probably wouldn't understand there is a lot they could access. The tricky words provide a discussion between the adult and the child which is nice.
I would recommend this to younger children, I read it to 6 and 7 year olds and although it did keep their attention I feel it would be better suited to 4 or 5 year olds.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.
I discovered “The Book Corner” this morning. I am pleased that you have commented on my stories for young children. The other seven books in the contract will be published in 2016.
ReplyDeleteAlthough some of the illustrations are disappointing (for example, I wanted Martin Mouse to look like a mouse and not like a child in a pantomime costume), these books give me great satisfaction. I am confident that parents (and grandparents) will enjoy these books as much as the small children to whom they are read.
I wrote the stories for my son more than thirty-five years ago. The stories evolved over several years. They were about the animals that we saw frequently. On evenings when it got dark early, I used to put a saucer of milk in the garden and then wait silently, with three-year-old Stephen beside me, until, at the same time each evening, a hedgehog came out of the undergrowth to drink it. The hedgehog never stayed long. Obviously, he was rushing to his work at the hospital. That is how I began writing the stories. Within walking distance of our house, Stephen and I used to watch cows eating grass (and looking grumpy), and sheep giggling at silly jokes, and horses looking friendly and helpful, and frogs swimming strongly in cold water, and pigeons, sparrows, dogs, and chickens, all of which became part of the stories. Gradually, the stories developed a pattern of Martin Mouse getting into awkward situations and needing help. When Stephen was older, about five years old perhaps, the stories developed an additional theme. They were now also about the relationship between Martin Mouse and his mother. Mavis Mouse was always worried about her son. This is how mothers have behaved since the beginning of time, of course, and Stephen could recognise the behaviour of his mother. When things went wrong, often after ignoring his mother’s good advice, Martin Mouse was always worried that she would be cross, but she was always so pleased to see him get home safely that all was immediately forgiven.
In “Dr Hedgehog and the Tree Rescue”, the punctuation on page 10 has been changed without my consent. I have asked the publisher to re-instate the text that I submitted: “It was raining, but he didn’t mind, even though the roof of his car leaked. He held an umbrella inside the car!”
Thankyou for taking an interest in my stories.
Jerry Mushin