Hedgie's Surprise [Hardcover]

Jan Brett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 11, 2000

Every morning the Tomten steals an egg from Henny's nest, then runs away to cook it in his kettle & gobble it down for breakfast. Henny doesn't like the Tomten taking her egg, but she doesn't do anything -- until one day when a goose swims by with a new brood of little goslings. Then Henny wants chicks of her own. How will she ever get the Tomten to stop stealing her eggs? With the help of her friend Hedgie, the Hedgehog, the hen finally gets to keep her eggs through a clever plan that in the end surprises even Henny. Luminous watercolors, complete with intricately patterned needlepoint borders, capture the humor of the tale as well as the beauty of a Scandinavian farm. ABA pick!

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Henny doesn't know what to do. Every morning the irksome gnomelike Tomten steals her egg and takes it home to cook in his kettle and gobble up for breakfast. But when she sees Goosey-Goosey sailing by with a gaggle of goslings, Henny is suddenly galvanized to do something. Will she never have chicks of her own? She consults her wise friend Hedgie the Hedgehog, who comes up with a clever plan guaranteed to give the Tomten a sharp lesson in appropriate behavior.

Jan Brett's trademark illustrations--detailed watercolors bordered by intricate needlepoint patterns---capture the charm and mischief of this Scandinavian-style folk tale set in Denmark. Each wide woven margin shows a hint in miniature of upcoming events: Hedgie crawling under Henny's brooding basket, or the enraged Tomten after being outwitted. Young readers will love guessing what Hedgie has up his proverbial sleeve, and will rejoice with Henny at the unusual hatching of her first brood of chicks. A warm, humorous, 100 percent satisfying story by the creator of many picture book favorites, such as The Hat and The Mitten. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Brett's (The Mitten; The Hat) trademark, elaborately bordered paintings are once again the centerpiece of her latest tale set in timeless rural Scandinavia. And, as in her prior works, the author's endearingly expressive animal characters, depicted in meticulous detail, steal the show. After viewing Goosey-Goosey's brood of chicks, Henny the hen longs for her very own offspring. But each morning a greedy, elf-like "Tomten" steals her newly laid egg, insisting he needs "a little yummy for my hungry, hungry tummy." Henny awakens her friend, Hedgie the hedgehog, with a loud wail, "No eggs, no chicks, no peeping babies," and he offers to help Henny put a stop to the Tomten's thievery. On successive days, her pal plants in Henny's nest an acorn, a strawberry, a mushroom, a potato andAin the ultimate deceitAhides himself in the straw, rolled into a ball, which sends the rogue running after he picks up the prickly fellow. Thanks to Hedgie's cleverness, five eggs hatch into fluffy chicks, fulfilling Henny's wish for a family of her own. Youngsters will be happily diverted by the busy goings-on in both Brett's mainframe illustrations and elegant borders, which feature a red-and-white needlepoint background and egg-shaped spot art that tactically foreshadows the narrative. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile; First Edition edition (September 11, 2000)
• ISBN-10: 0399234772
• ASIN: B0006IXIPK
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,646,984 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jan Brett is the author of the New York Times bestselling Gingerbread Friends, The Three Snow Bears, and The Mitten, as well as many other classics. She lives in Norwell, Massachusetts.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jan Brett...Wonderful, as Always, December 3, 2000

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hedgie's Surprise (Hardcover)

Poor Henny, all she really wants is to be a mother hen and have a bunch of baby chicks, just like her friend Goosey-Goosey. But that is not to be. For every morning, the Tomten comes and takes her newly laid egg for his breakfast. Enter Hedgie, the hedgehog with a clever idea and a few tricks up his proverbial sleeve. Early each morning, before the rooster crows and wakes the Tomten up, Hedgie takes Henny's egg and substitutes something else for it...first an acorn, then a strawberry, a mushroom and then a potato. And each day, the Tomten is left hungry. He becomes so angry that he threatens to eat Henny if she does not leave him an egg for breakfast the next day. Henny is scared and frantic, but Hedgie still has one last surprise left for that mean Tomten and an even bigger surprise for Henny.....Jan Brett, has written a simple, witty Scandinavian folk tale, starring her wonderful and always endearing, Hedgie. Her text is only outdone by her detailed, expressive artwork, complete with signature needlepoint border and clues, stiched in, of what's to come. Young children will be entranced as they listen to this humorous tale while following the illustrations and guessing at the story plot. Hedgie's Surprise makes a terrific gift and is a great addition to all home libraries.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charming and Clever!, September 10, 2000

By 

Jule Kijek (Redford, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hedgie's Surprise (Hardcover)

Every morning Henny has her egg stolen by a porrige hating tomten. He steals the egg and cooks it up for his breakfast. Henny puts up with this until one day when she sees Goosey-Goosey swimming with her newly hatched goslings in the pond. Henny longs for a batch of chicks of her own! She begins to weep. Our hero Hedgie hears her crying and offers to help. The next day Hedgie substitutes an acorn for the egg in Henny's nest. The tomten finds it and cooks it up for his breakfast but it does not fill him up. The following days a strawberry, mushroom and then a potato are left for the tomten. They do not fill him up and the tomten threatens to eat Henny if she does not leave him an egg the next day! Hedgie comes up with the perfect plan to rid Henny of the Tomten! The next day the tomten gets the surprise of his life when he comes for the egg! He runs off and learns to enjoy porrige once again! This story is a winner from start to finnish. Jan Brett's beautiful pictures bring this story to life.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful read!, February 5, 2004

By 

Busy Mom (Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Hedgie's Surprise (Hardcover)

Henny lays her egg every morning only to have the Tomken eat it for breakfast because he was tired of porridge. Then one day, Henny saw a goose walking with her goslings ~~ that awoken a deep desire in Henny's heart. How she wanted to have little peeps of her own! One day, Hedgie noticed Henny's depression and listened to her friend. Then Hedgie promised to help Henny.

What a clever little story ~~ with Hedgie finding different food for the Tromken to eat! When he threatens to eat Henny if she doesn't lay any more eggs, Hedgie comes up with a not-so-pleasant surprise! And everyone even the Tomken is happy.

The pictures are wonderfully detailed and the story is beautiful. My favorite design of this book is the quilt look of Brett's designs. It's cozy and homey ~~ perfect reading for children of all ages! It is also inspirational as well ~~ her art simply makes you smile.

2-4-04