Porcupining: A Prickly Love Story

We both loved this story. The porcupine lives in a petting zoo and is very lonely as you can imagine. He ventures out to find a wife in the zoo but only ends up making the other animals mad. He finally finds his true love. Sure to be a favorite in your house too. Recommended for ages 4-12 years.

What a wonderful picture book! This book will continue to delight children and the lucky adults who get to read along. The art is wonderful too. Lucky for us there's a sequel to this book.

We had fun with this one. Our six-year-old became a downright diva with the porcupine's songs, and the four-year-old kept her eyes open for the little grasshopper buddy. My husband and I liked the puns. I think we'll look for more by this author.

Funny, punny author Lisa Wheeler is at it again in this follow up to her pun-filled "Sailor Moo" and " Wool Gathering" picture books. This time, a love-struck porcupine is (porcu)pining for a wife in this comic recasting of the "Froggy Went A'Courting" folk song. First Cushion (yes, as in pin cushion) has to suffer the indignity of being the least popular resident of a petting zoo, for obviously ouchy reasons. Then his lonesomeness is compounded each time he serenades a potential bride. The rabbits get hopping mad, the pigs grunt their disapproval, and the buck-toothed beaver gives him the brush off. But when a mysterious creature compliments Cushion 's beautiful singing and, though "DO NOT TOUCH" signs warn him to stay away, he is intrigued, particularly when she says her name is Barb, and she's got quills too. "You don't look like a pork or a pine!" says Barb. "You don't look like a hedge or a hog!" says Cushion. Of course the mismatched loners fall in love, otherwise -- as Wheeler writes, unable to resist one last pun -- "what would be the point of this whole story?" Although "Porcupining"'s simple prose text isn't as snappy or rich as the perfectly perfect satirical rhymes of "Sailor Moo," the story is delightful and the concept sharp, exhibiting plenty of prickly wit.

Poor Cushion. Who ever thought of putting a little porcupine in a petting zoo? All day long he sits alone surrounded by DO NOT TOUCH, KEEP OUT, and NO PETTING signs, watching all the other animals get pats and pets and hugs. "All the other animals had someone to love. Poor Cushion had no one." So on one especially lonely night Cushion writes a sad little ditty, takes his banjo, and goes out looking for a wife. "I've been so lonesome all my life./No one will get near./I'm porcupining for a wife,/Someone to hold me dear." He looks all over the petting zoo, the rabbit hutch, pigsty, even the beavers' lodge, but none of the animals are the least bit interested in making a little prickly friend. But Cushion is not discouraged. "I know I'll find the perfect wife if I just stick with it." And that's when he hears a sweet voice whisper to him in the dark. He couldn't see who was speaking, but he could see the signs...DO NOT TOUCH, KEEP OUT, and NO PETTING. "He felt a prickle run down his spine." Had he finally found the love of his life..... Lisa Wheeler, author of Sailor Moo: Cow At Sea, Wool Gathering: A Sheep Family Reunion, and Sixteen Cows, is back with another marvelous preschool crowd pleaser. Her clever and captivating story, starring an endearing quilled hero, just begs to be read aloud and shared and is filled with humor, wordplay, and silly puns that will delight both children and adults alike. Janie Bynum's bold, bright, and expressive illustrations complement this sweet tale beautfully, and are rich is vibrant color and playful, eye-catching details. With its happily-ever-after ending, Porcupining is a heartwarming, fun-filled read that's perfect for story time, and is sure to be a often asked for favorite at your house.