The Boy and the Hedgehog

Seven-year-old Ben has spent plenty of time in his garden, yet a hedgehog is something he has never spotted there. One warm night he pulls on his blue hoodie and red wellington boots, picks up a small flashlight and slips outside. In the darkness he finds a little spiny hedgehog with brown and cream quills, a fallen leaf clinging to its back, and he crouches down to watch it snuffle about in search of food. Before going back inside, he wonders where the creature will sleep once the night ends and decides to ask his mum.

His mum explains that hedgehogs are nocturnal and require quiet, safe spots to rest by day, along with shelter such as leaf or log piles and gaps in fences so they can move between gardens. Ben and his mum build a small shelter in a calm corner, and then he has a larger idea: a colourful neighbourhood guide with simple tips. With his mum's help he prints copies and visits every house, and neighbours soon start making changes. This tale by Çınar BİBER can be read on Masalcı Baba.