Hedgie's Surprise

by Jan Brett

Book Overview

Jan Brett 's beloved character Hedgie stars in this charming story about a little Tomten who gets tired of porridge for breakfast and starts stealing Henny's eggs. But Henny wants a brood of chicks and she needs her eggs. With the help of clever Hedgie, she substitutes an acorn, a strawberry, a mushroom and finally a potato in her nest. But nothing stops that Tomten until the little hedgehog hides in Henny's nest- when the Tomten reaches in to get...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399234772
• ISBN13: 9780399234774
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.87 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 10.5" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

My daughters favorite

Finally decided to purchase after my daughter continually requested this from the library!

My favorite kids book!

This is a lovely book about an unlikely friendship between a clever and generous hedgehog, and a childless hen, as they combine efforts to thwart the greedy and hungry tomten. The illustrations are beautiful, and the story is heartwarming.

A delightful read!

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

Homework Assignment

I liked this book becuase I liked finding out of Henny was gong to get any babies,and finding out if the Tomten was goiong to be tricked or if he was going to eat all of her eggs. It is hard to read the words in the book because of the colored pages. The words are good for 5 to 8 year olds to read. Hedgie has a lot of tricks, and helps Henny.

Jan Brett...Wonderful, as Always

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.

Charming and Clever!

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.