A Porcupine Named Fluffy

by Helen Lester

Book Overview

What's in a name? A modern, funny fable about a misnamed porcupine who learns to accept himself, and his name, just as he is. Fluffy doesn't feel at home in his name. His quills are sharp and pointy.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0395368952
• Release Date: January 1986
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.8" x 0.3" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

One of my son's favorite bedtime books

I'll admit that I like this book as much as my son does. It's cleverly written and beautifully illustrated. The story is about a Porcupine given the unusual name of Fluffy. Early on in his life, Fluffy starts to realize that he isn't really fluffy. He sticks to the back of the door, pokes holes in his mattress, and destroys his umbrella. He tries to become fluffier by pretending to be a cloud and a pillow (until his mother sits on him). He takes a long bubble bath, but only becomes soggy. He covers himself in whipped cream, eats a lot of marshmallows, and rolls himself in shaving cream and feathers. One day, Fluffy runs into a rhinoceros who says he's going to give Fluffy a hard time. When he asks Fluffy his name, the Rhino starts laughing. When Fluffy asks the Rhino what his name is, the Rhino tells him that his name is Hippo. They both laugh a lot and end up friends. Lynn Munsinger's watercolor drawings are simple but rich with expression. Each page is like a painting that you'd love to have in your child's room. Kids can read this book even before they know the words because the images support the story so well. I guarantee that you and your kids will laugh while reading this story. It's one of my all-time favorites.

A Porcupine named Fluffy

This book is one of my favorites to read to my nieces and nephews. "A Porcupine named Fluffy" is written in language simple enough for a child to understand, but is also humorous enough to make grown-ups laugh. It is about a young porcupine named Fluffy by his parents, after they discard several other names. As Fluffy gets older he begins to think for himself and wonders if Fluffy is really the best name for him. He tries to change himself to fit his name through all sorts of silly ways. But in the end, he forges a bond with a rhino named Hippo because of their silly names. They can laugh together about their names, and they have empathy for how the other might have been teased. It is this understanding that creates their friendship, and acceptance of themselves for who they are. The story has a wonderful rhythm and it not too wordy. I love the line "Fluffy wasn't." The illustrations are terrific, funny images that kids can appreciate and identify with. My favorite picture is when Fluffy tried to be a pillow and got his quills stuck in the chair. I highly recommend this book as a completely delightful story for all ages.

What's in a name?

What's in a name? If you're a porcupine with back full of cowlick-ey quills, "Fluffy" sure ain't it. When Mr. & Mrs. Porcupine had their first child, they were thrilled to pieces, but needed a name for their progeny. Lance, Prickles, Quillan and Needleroozer are all summarily rejected when suddenly inspiration strikes: "Let's call him Fluffy. It's such a pretty name. Fluffy!"Well, suffice it to say Fluffy is anything but. He manages to get stuck in a door by backing into it (his dad hangs his hat on Fluffy's nose), poke holes in his umbrella and stick himself to his mattress... Definitely UN-fluffy things to do.Like anyone who has been burdened with a less-than-optimal title (and who HASN'T disliked their own name sometime? ), Fluffy decides to try to live up to his handle. The power of positive thinking doesn't work that well--trying to be a fluffy cloud or pillow only produces a not-so-pleased mother who sits on him by accident, and the tree won't support his weight. Similarly, attempts to fluff up his quills by soaking in the tub for 45 minutes, covering himself with whipped cream and eating fluffy marshmallows only manages to make him soggy, gooey and stuffed. "The truth remained. Fluffy wasn't."However, solidarity and a new perspective on life suddenly arrive when Fluffy meets a grumpy rhinoceros. At first, the rhino promises to give Fluffy a hard time, but soon is rolling on the ground in gales of laughter when he finds that he's just met a porcupine named Fluffy. An embarrassed but polite Fluffy the porcupine asks the rhino what HIS name is. It's "Hippo." The book ends with the two, now friends, rolling around in hysterics at the fun absurdity of a porcupine called Fluffy and a rhino called Hippo.Ms. Lester and Ms. Munsinger have collaborated to produce a wonderful, bright and amusing book on a subject that will affect practically every child at some point--their name. Most children will endure some sort of taunt about their name sometime in their early life, and in an age long before the pressures of day-to-day life settle in, having a name you feel doesn't really fit you can be devastating. I personally remember constantly inventing new and flashy names for myself to avoid the dreaded moniker of my first name, which was usually half-whined, half-yelled at me by my mother when she was trying to triangulate my position within the house.The illustrations are fantastic and really very funny despite the levity of the subject matter--Fluffy with his striped mattress impaled half on his head as he gets out of bed is one of my personal favorites. In addition to being simply fun to read, it is a most worthwhile book for children of all ages who feel that perhaps their parents could have tried a LITTLE harder to come up with a title that would fit them better.

A book full of laughs with a good message

I first read this story to my 2 year old son when he was playing at a friend's house. I really exaggerated the descriptions and ever since this has been one of my son's favorite books. It's got fun lines that sound great when read aloud to kids. And it's got enough cleverness to be interesting to adults as well. On top of all that, it's got a great message about accepting yourself for who you are and finding friends who can appreciate you. I highly recommend this book and know that we'll be reading it for years to come.

This book helps children accept differences.

Whenever I am asked to read in my children's classes, this is the FIRST book I choose. I usually begin by asking the children, "Who has ever been teased about their name?" or "Who has ever felt that sometimes their name just doesn't fit?" Either question gets an enthusiastic response. Then we read "Fluffy". The kids love it, I love it, the teachers love it. It lets kids know that just because their names are different, their feelings can be the same. It also teaches a very strong lesson about how SHARED laughter can forge a friendship between two seemingly opposite creatures. If we can learn to laugh at the little stuff, the big stuff is a little easier to tackle too!