Hedgehog or echidna? by Ashleigh Barton

The title Hedgehog or Echidna? Animals who are the same . . . but different! gives the reader an immediate insight into what the book might be about with its appealing illustrations of the two animals. Turning the page to the rhyming narrative the reader will become engrossed as an echidna meets a hedgehog, saying ‘You look familiar...’ The story then goes on to list the differences between the echidna and hedgehog. The cute illustrations add to the information allowing the reader to visualise the similarities and differences. The echidna is bigger and older and eats ants; the hedgehog lives in a colder climate and has smaller feet. Then the reader is asked to guess if there are any other animals who might get confused and turn the pages to find an alpaca and llama, alligator and crocodile, sea snake and eel, rabbit and hare, sea lion and seal, ostrich and emu, and leopard and cheetah. Unfamiliar creatures like tuatara, ‘200 million years new’  and birds like raven, jackdaw and rook are introduced, with the last pages showing a surprise.

The illustrations are gorgeous, the animals having wonderful expressions on their faces, some showing curiosity and friendship. The alligator and crocodile have huge teeth and scary eyes while the rabbits gather in their cosy burrows. Children will learn about the animals’ habitats by looking closely at the pictures which complement and add to the flowing rhymes. They might have fun trying to think of other animals that are similar and work out why there are no hedgehogs in Australia. Extensive teaching notes will be a boon for teachers who want to pursue the topic more closely. 

With its lovely illustrations and accessible rhyming text, Hedgehog or Echidna? is sure to be a hit with young readers and very useful in the classroom.

Themes: Similarities, Differences, Animals.

Pat Pledger