Valentine’s Day is drawing ever closer, and to prepare, I thought I would share this cute picture book with you.
“Porcupining” is the story of a lonely porcupine named Cushion. He lived in a petting zoo, but all over his cage were signs that read “Do not touch.” All the cute, furry animals got loved and petted and had lots of friends, but not Cushion. He didn’t have anyone.
Late at night he would sit in his cage and feel sorry for himself, strumming his banjo. He made up a sad song about how much he would like to get married, and then he would have someone to love. One night he decided that he should stop pining and go looking for a wife.
Taking his banjo, he went over to the rabbit hutch and begin to sing. But the serenade only earned him hisses and boos. So changing his song to fit the circumstances, he went over to the pig sty. Perhaps it was the fact that he called her fat, but the sow wasn’t interested in him either.
The beaver said no, and he was just about to give up when he heard a voice call out to him and compliment him on his singing. He walked toward the sound of the voice to discover a cage with “Do not touch” posted all over it. His heart was pounding. Could it be?
She was a hedgehog, and her name was Barb. She was absolutely the most beautiful thing Cushion had ever seen. He tuned up his banjo and sang his song, and she clapped. Clapped! Recognition for his musical talents at last! So in the end, they each found someone to love.
This book is just too cute. The illustrations are adorable, the songs Cushion sings to each group of animals are hysterical, and the whole thing is just full of porcupine puns. You and your children will enjoy this story quite a bit.
(This book was published in 2002 by Little, Brown and was illustrated by Janie Bynum.)
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