Scorch, Hedgehog of Doom

by Cate Berry, Margherita Grasso (Illustrator)

Overview

Scorch the hedgehog is determined to be ferocious. The doomsy-est, most menacing class pet ever known. She’s not just Scorch, she’s… Scorch, Hedgehog of Doom!

There’s just one problem—Scorch is kind of adorable. So adorable, in fact, that it’s all anyone ever notices.

With each swirl of her cloak, each sharp claw raised high, each baring of her chilling chompers, the kids of room 402 don’t fall back in fear or quiver with tears. Instead, they cry, “Awww! Adorable!”

Tired of being seen as just one thing, Scorch flies into action, determined to show how truly terrifying she can be. But when her flipping, training, and high-flying efforts land her in true danger—the home of the classroom’s other scaled, slithering, cold-blooded animal occupant—Scorch must harness and embrace all the parts of her unique self. Put to the ultimate test, she finds power in being ferociously adorable and killer cute.

Readers will fall for this ferociously “awww”-inspiring story starring a beloved class pet about self-image, identity, and finding harmony among the many different, sometimes contradictory pieces of ourselves.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781645678670
Publisher:	Page Street Publishing
Publication date:	07/16/2024
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.40(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Cate Berry lives and writes in Austin, Texas with her husband and two children. She holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts, earning her Picture Book Intensive Certificate in the process. Ms. Berry spent many years as an actress and songwriter before turning to writing. She also loves teaching and offers many classes on writing picture books at The Writing Barn. Although Penguin and Tiny Shrimp will try and convince you otherwise, Cate is an ardent fan of bedtime.

Editorial Reviews

★ 05/13/2024

Instead of being cute like her ancestors, classroom pet Scorch, a round-bodied hedgehog trapped in a classroom’s “glass castle,” hopes that “her destiny will be ferocious! She will be forged in FIRE.” But despite the best efforts of the self-described “Hedgehog of Doom,” the children of classroom 402 coo over how “adorable” she is. Increasingly frustrated, Scorch vows on an apple slice, “I will be doomsy,” and overnight “flies on her strategy wheel.” When the children arrive in the morning, though, their reaction to her antics remains the same (“She thrusts her fangs into a papaya. ‘Awww!’ they sigh”). Grasso’s action-oriented digital renderings amplify Scorch’s tough persona with spiky spines and focused eyes. When the mammalian fighter accidentally catapults into the class snake’s nearby terrarium, Berry turns the narrative toward suspense—until the protagonist discovers an overlooked superpower. Subtly encouraging perspective-taking, it’s a winningly creature-centric comedy that’s ferociously fun. Human characters are portrayed with varied skin tones. Ages 4–8. (July)

Publishers Weekly

"[A] winningly creature-centric comedy that’s ferociously fun."

—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"There’s storytime gold here for the performer willing to truly embrace a dramatic telling, and the contrast between Scorch’s desire to be as “doomsy” as possible with her undeniably loveable appearance ensures plenty of giggles."—BCCB

From the Publisher

2024-08-03
A classroom hedgehog longs to be seen as the fierce beast she knows she is.

“High on a craggy cliff she looms, looking out at her glass castle. No more being cute like her ancestors. Her destiny will be ferocious!” But no matter what Scorch does—glowering, gnashing her teeth—the students of Room 402 react the same way: “Aww!” When she accidentally propels herself into a nearby terrarium, the snake that lives there decides to make a meal out of her. Scorch resorts to what might well be considered feminine wiles to save herself: striking adorable poses and planting a big smooch on the snake, who backs off. “She’s KILLER cute!” the kids agree. While Scorch ultimately triumphs, the book may leave readers with the retro, sexist message that for women and girls, physical appearance trumps all. In the garish digital art, sharp-toothed Scorch often looks downright demonic as she attempts to project a tough exterior. Though the children vary in skin tone, they all have large, oddly shaped, nearly identical faces, with overly animated expressions. Scorch’s dramatic language and her athletic antics may elicit some chuckles, but overall the tale feels like one long weak joke, with a punchline that grates against feminist ears.

A one-note story with a problematic takeaway.(Picture book. 4-6)

Kirkus Reviews