Mr. Prickles: A Quill-Fated Love Story (review)

Poor Mr. Prickles. The other forest animals continually reject the porcupine's friendly overtures ("'You're not cute like us,' said Raccoon. 'Or cuddly like us,' said Chipmunk. 'Or playful like us,' said Skunk. 'I am,' said Mr. Prickles. 'On the inside'"), leaving Mr. Prickles quite lonely. Mr. Prickles' sadness eventually turns to annoyance until he meets his neighbor (and fellow porcupine) Miss Pointypants. The two hit it off splendidly, and when the forest animals continue to give them a hard time, Mr. Prickles finds their rejection easier to ignore with a friend at his side. Young audiences will be amused by the humorous character names and pun-filled text ("He tried to join in their midnight picnicking, but it was pointless"), and many will sympathize with Mr. Prickles and his social rejection. Although there's a slightly muddled message here—the fact that Miss Pointypants is also a porcupine rather implies that it's best to stick to your own kind—it is also somewhat refreshing that the mean guys don't finally discover how nice Mr. Prickles is and change their ways. Magoon's comic illustrations serve to make Mr. Prickles even more endearing, with his ever-hopeful visage, big nose, and a tiny derby hat perched atop his shaving-stubble-like prickles. Muted greens, blues, reds, and grays suit the mostly nocturnal forest setting, while Magoon's compositions effectively convey Mr. Prickles' feelings (when angry, he looms enormously in full prickle against an orange and scarlet background). Pair this with Isop's How Do You Hug a Porcupine? (BCCB 9/11) or Schmid's Hugs from Pearl (BCCB 1/12) for a prickly-themed storytime, or use it to start a discussion about friendship and that perennial kid problem of being left out.