The Blurb On The Back:

Everything you need to know about helping your favourite garden guests!

Roly is a curious, prickly hedgehog who loves to explore gardens, including yours.  But gardens can be dangerous, from deep ponds to smelly rubbish, so Roly must be careful.  He can’t face these challenges alone – he needs your help!

Part of a beautiful series, Roly The Hedgehog provides its little readers with all the tips and tricks they need to help keep these adorable spiny creatures safe in the garden. 

HOW CAN I HELP?  ROLY THE HEDGEHOG was released in the United Kingdom on 28th October 2021.  Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

You can order How Can I Help? Roly The Hedgehog by Frances Rodgers and Ben Grisdale from Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

The Review (Cut For Spoilers):

Roly is a hedgehog who needs our help.  He’d like to come into our gardens but there are certain things that we need to do to make sure that they are safe places for him and his hedgehog friends and also to make sure that he has plenty of food. And drink.  Fortunately, this book gives the reader plenty of advice and tips to make sure that Roly can visit and have fun.

This picture book (part of a series about garden and countryside creatures) by Frances Rodgers with lovely illustrations by Ben Grisdale that are coupled with photographs gives plenty of tips and advice to young readers about what hedgehogs are and how to make them feel welcome.  The language is easy to understand without being patronising and it’s a good way of getting young ones interested in nature.

The book introduces readers to what hedgehogs are, what they eat and drink and how readers can make gardens a safer and more welcoming space for them.  The text is very simple and so perfect for the target age group and while there are warnings here about dangers, it’s not done in a way that’s frightening and instead focuses on the constructive things that children can do (with a little help from grown ups).  Grisdale’s illustrations work well – they’re brightly coloured and quite stripped down and rough in the colouring, which I think young ones will relate to.  The book also includes photographs of real hedgehogs and what they eat, which is useful.  All in all I thought this was a lovely introduction to a beloved British creature and one that young readers will get a lot of enjoyment and knowledge from.