Porcupette Finds a Family by Vanita Oelschlager

We received this book from the publisher for review.

Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Illustration:🟃 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Porcupette Finds a Family, is a story about how a baby porcupine (called a porcupette) finds a new family after losing his mother. He wants to have an attachment to the bear family he finds, but is afraid his "bear" mother and "bear" brother and sister will leave him too. This causes him to act out his fears in

ways that jeopardize acceptance from his adopted family. However, with the understanding and help of Mother Bear, Porcupette finally accepts that he is truly loved and wanted despite, or maybe because of, his differences.

Amazing, BUT For a Very Specific Target Audience

On my first pass through I wasn't sure about how I felt about Porcupette Finds a Family by Vanita Oelschlager, but as someone who worked with children within the foster care system for years, I have to say that Porcupette is a realistic character for a child who is hurting and who misbehaves to either test people's boundaries or to push people away before they have a chance to hurt them first.

A child losing their parent and feeling the uncertainty of the world around them is not your average subject matter in children's literature, and it is in no way sugar coated in Porcupette Finds a Family.  This is exactly what children who are experiencing this in their own lives need as well do the people who love them, as a valuable tool to open up meaningful conversation and to help children understand what their feelings are about.

I recommend this book to children with abandonment issues, and the adult's caring for those children, simultaneously, not separately.  I also recommend this book to children and the parents of those children who are closely involved with a child who is dealing with abandonment issues.  It can be used as a wonderful teaching tool for those children as well, in order to help them understand what the other child may be feeling.  It also would be a smart move for any counselor to have this one ready and available on their bookshelf.

Porcupette Finds a Family

by Vanita Oelschlager

Illustrated by Mike Blanc

Published: 2010

Pages: 44

Our Source: Publisher

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