Betina Birkjær

illustrated by Anna Margrethe Kjærgaard

Translated by Lindy Falk van Rooyen

From the author of Monster-Scared and the duo behind Coffee, Rabbit, Snowdrop, Lost (a 2022 Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Book) comes a charming, beautifully illustrated story about being kind to yourself when things pile up.

There is so much for Mr. Prickly to do before hibernation: rake the leaves, fix the chair that tilts, put in one last load of darks before winter... He tries to tackle his chores as efficiently as his neighbors, but it’s an awfully long to-do list for a hedgehog.

Then a gust of wind pushes through the window, whirling everything around, even the words on his list. His heart begins to thump—what was he supposed to do? Rake the laundry? Wash the leaves? Will he be able to finish his list on time?

Mr. Prickly is a sweet and humorous spin on the tasks we struggle to tackle—and how the light of the morning can turn everything around.