Little Prickles by Kate and Gavin Nelson

Little Prickles is geared toward children in Kindergarten through third grade and was written in 2008 by Kate and Gavin Nelson.

This book is written by three seventh grade students who are all related; two are siblings (Kate and Gavin Nelson) and the third is a cousin (Layne Suhre).  They wrote this book to enter into the Kids Are Authors Competition.   Gavin and Kate have participated in this competition since the third grade and Layne was the illustrator for this particular book. The story is about Little Prickles, a porcupine, who thinks no one wants to play with him because of his pointy quills.  The other animals at school are reluctant to asking him to play "tag" or "duck, duck, goose" because he is too prickly.  Yet when they ask him to play other games he replies grumpily "Go away, I'm too prickly." Then one day at school the teacher, Mrs. Hoot, want the animals to write the alphabet and tells them to get a sharp stick.  Little Prickles offer his classmates his quills.  Ultimately he is left with just three quills which leaves him fearful of being eaten by a fox.  His new friends admit that they wanted to include him but he always sent them away.  So, the other animals walk him home every day to protect him.

This book is an excellent tool for both teachers and parents/guardians to teach children that their differences make them special.  In addition, it shows that being different is not a bad thing.  These sibling authors have also written The Music Inside Me which also was named the Grand Prize for Fiction in 2005.

As an example of an animal fantasy, this book offers animals as real life characters; students in school.  The illustrations are colorful and use line, and appear to use colored pencils and crayons.

Motivational Activities:

1. Students can draw a picture of what they believe is special about themselves and share their drawings with the class.

2. Students can write a paragraph about what they believe is their most special characteristic.

Reader Response Questions:

1. Describe how you think Little Prickles feels in the beginning of the story compared to the end of the story.

2. Explain why you think Little Prickles was nervous about playing with the other animals.

3. Compare this story to real life.  How do you think all children can feel as if they belong to the group even though they are different? Explain.


Nelson, K. & Nelson G. (2008) Little Prickles New York, Scholastic, Inc.

Image:  http://www.themontessorischool.com/uploaded/Middle_School/Little_Prickles_NEW.jpg