A Predictable Book!I would place this book in the category of being a predictable book. The main theme has reoccurring actions of the Hedgehog, Sam, searching for a friend in different ways. He seeks a friend over, under, around, up and all with a reoccurring words of action toward the search. It also has a subtle predictability by the presence of smaller, less pronounced characters in the story.
The main story line presents Sam with the dilemma of having no friends and therefore setting out to search for friends. The entire time (each page of the book) there are several other animals of the woods lurking behind trees, in branches and at times very close to Sam’s presence, yet without being noticed. The smaller printed words placed by the author show that each animal is curiously interested in this new arrival, the hedgehog.
The focus is always intently on Sam. It is predictable that Sam will find friends by the end of the story because they are all around him throughout the entire search for friends in the story.The story is refreshing because it does not leave the reader with a sunken feeling that the poor hedgehog has no friends and may not find any friends.
The reader can enjoy the search for friends while giggling at the predictability of the many friends all around during the search. This would be a great book for the beginning of al school year when many of the children are feeling lonely and without friends. They are all new arrivals at the time of the school year.