The Boy and the Hedgehog

On a misty morning, Sam kneels in his garden searching for worms when a small, spiky creature slips through a gap beneath the old wooden fence. A hedgehog has wandered in, a stray leaf caught in its brown quills and its glossy black nose twitching as it sniffs the ground. Sam soon understands that his garden is too small for an animal that needs space to roam, find food and settle down to sleep, so he decides to do something about it rather than simply watch.

His first visit is to his neighbour Mrs Patel, who wears a lavender cardigan and keeps her silver-grey hair in a neat bun. From there the story follows Sam as he gently persuades the people on his street to cut small gaps low in their fences, meeting doubt and busy neighbours along the way with patience and lemonade. Written by Çınar BİBER, this gentle tale for young children and the adults who read with them can be found on Masalcı Baba, and it closes with practical rules for helping hedgehogs.