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Spiky
When Spiky loses his spikes, he must learn to share his softer side.
Spiky lives in the dark of the forest, where he spends his days being very, very bad, bullying the other forest creatures and sharpening the spikes on his body. Those spikes are handy for keeping everybody at a distance, and that’s just how Spiky likes it! But then one day the unthinkable Spiky starts losing his spikes! Soon he is left looking as soft and as pink as a soft, pink marshmallow. What will Spiky do, now that he can no longer scare away the other forest creatures? Will he have to (gulp!) make friends? It’s a good thing Bernardo the bunny comes along to show him how it’s done.
First published in Italy, this charming story of friendship will have children giggling until the very end.
Spiky lives in the dark of the forest, where he spends his days being very, very bad, bullying the other forest creatures and sharpening the spikes on his body. Those spikes are handy for keeping everybody at a distance, and that’s just how Spiky likes it! But then one day the unthinkable Spiky starts losing his spikes! Soon he is left looking as soft and as pink as a soft, pink marshmallow. What will Spiky do, now that he can no longer scare away the other forest creatures? Will he have to (gulp!) make friends? It’s a good thing Bernardo the bunny comes along to show him how it’s done.
First published in Italy, this charming story of friendship will have children giggling until the very end.
36 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 8, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
August 28, 2019
Pass on this book.
This is a children book. As other reviewers stated, there is never excuse for animal abuse. I do not give a care what the message is at the end. This is why I give this one book 1 star out of 5 stars.
This is a children book. As other reviewers stated, there is never excuse for animal abuse. I do not give a care what the message is at the end. This is why I give this one book 1 star out of 5 stars.
June 2, 2019
Amazon First Reads
Cute story. Nice illustrations.
Cute story. Nice illustrations.
June 5, 2019
Change is possible
One of the free options for Amazon Prime for the month of June. This book introduces children to the idea that people can change. Spikes loses all his spikes and has to learn how to navigate the forest without them. He meets a wise bunny who friendships him and invites him home.
One of the free options for Amazon Prime for the month of June. This book introduces children to the idea that people can change. Spikes loses all his spikes and has to learn how to navigate the forest without them. He meets a wise bunny who friendships him and invites him home.
June 6, 2019
A fun, enjoyable read for kids that teaches valuable lessons about kindness and acceptance. Have your kid keep a lookout for all of the spiky things that belong to Spiky—even his teapot has spines!
*I received the Kindle edition of the book for free as part of the Kindle First Reads program.
*I received the Kindle edition of the book for free as part of the Kindle First Reads program.
July 10, 2019
The first half of the book is too dark for picture book aged children... animal torture.
I get what the story was trying to convey, but in the beginning Spiky was physically torturing small animals: pulling wings off butterflies, closing up birds in glass jars to suffocate, and poking holes in the shells of snails with spikes. That's not bullying, thats psychotic behavior and the book suggests he just grew out of it and figured out how great friends are. The font was challenging to read because it was thin and a bit frou-frou. There were also too many complicated vocabulary words used that the picture book crowd wouldn't understand. The illustrations were wonderful, but there is more to children's books than pictures.
I get what the story was trying to convey, but in the beginning Spiky was physically torturing small animals: pulling wings off butterflies, closing up birds in glass jars to suffocate, and poking holes in the shells of snails with spikes. That's not bullying, thats psychotic behavior and the book suggests he just grew out of it and figured out how great friends are. The font was challenging to read because it was thin and a bit frou-frou. There were also too many complicated vocabulary words used that the picture book crowd wouldn't understand. The illustrations were wonderful, but there is more to children's books than pictures.
January 5, 2022
(Originally posted on Word Cauldron.)
I received this as a Kindle First Reads book for June 2019.
When I got my selections for Kindle First Reads this month, it was more of the same: WWII, biographies of people I’ve never heard of or have no interest in reading about, and psychological thrillers. Boring! I was going to pick nothing, but then looked at the children's one and it seemed promising.
Until I read the disturbing and alarming reviews on Amazon.
I decided to not get it and forego a free book this month, but morbid curiosity has won out and I got Spiky. I wanted to read it for myself and form my own opinion.
Spiky has a lot of spikes on him. This is great because he is a loner and the spikes keep people away from him.
He is also BAD. VERY BAD. His dad even sent him to a school for being bad, that is how bad he is.
To demonstrate how bad he is, there are lots of snarling drawings of him, and we learn that he steals food from other animals, makes faces at the trees, and laughs at frogs for being ugly. The most upsetting bits for other reviewers were that he also:
- Pulls the wings off butterflies because he is jealous they can fly (this is only in text, the graphic shows him trying to catch a butterfly with a net).
- Captures birds in glass jars to punish them for being so happy (graphic does show birds in a glass jar).
- Pokes holes in the shells of live snails because they are slimy and slow (this is only in text, the graphic shows his shadow looming over a fleeing snail).
But, one day, all of his spikes fall out.
Here we come to the crux of Spiky's identity crisis: His whole view of himself came from his dad, who taught Spiky that he is bad because he has spikes, which are sharp and hurtful and intimidating (meaning that as a porcupine Spiky must also be sharp and hurtful and intimidating to others so his inside reflects his outside).
But, now that he has no spikes, who is Spiky? His only representation of his identity and personality has disappeared. He had never considered who he is beyond the physical attribute of his spikes.
While contemplating all of this, the other animals make fun of Spiky because he is naked and squishy and pink and does not look scary any longer.
While sulking on a rock, a rabbit named Bernardo approaches Spiky and asks him what's wrong. Spiky tells Bernardo that he doesn't know who he is anymore without his spikes, and Bernardo takes Spiky under his paw, introduces Spiky to his family, and Spiky gets to know them all.
Spiky also learns about all the activities you can do that don't involve hurting others and what a hindrance his spikes had been—suddenly, he could now feel the cool breezes, enjoy swimming as the water splashes on him, sunbathe, and roll in the grass so the blades tickled him.
Eventually, Spiky's spikes return (there is no explanation for these occurrences, other than I guess the Universe is trying to tell him something) and, with that, he assumes his scary identity has also returned, so he resumes scaring the other animals in the forest as if nothing ever happened.
Except something did happen, because he experienced personal growth.
So, being scary doesn't feel quite right anymore.
Spiky goes back to his sulking rock and ponders what the point of all the scariness is. He thinks about how he has come to appreciate the vibrancy the other animals bring to the forest, how the trees had sheltered him when he played in the grass, and how the birds weren't as annoying as the thought (though he still doesn't like snails).
Sidenote: I do wish he had also had thoughts here about how terrible it was to trap the birds, bore holes into the live snails, and de-wing the butterflies to reinforce that those things are to be regretted too since they were the most reprehensible.
Bernardo finds him and asks what's wrong. Spiky asks Bernardo if he is afraid of him now that he has his spikes back, and Bernardo says he isn't afraid because Spiky is still Spiky, with or without his his spikes. Bernardo invites Spiky to visit his family again and for many days they do activities and have fun (there is a cute drawing of Spiky on a blow-up raft in the water, but it is deflating because one of his spikes poked a hole in it, LOL).
Over time, Spiky learns that it feels good to be kind and open to new experiences and to make friends and that his spikes don't define him.
I think this book is supposed to be a commentary on how:
- Our looks do not define who we (or others) are
- Letting others define us instead of figuring out who we are on our own can be detrimental
- Being open and honest about who we are with others instead of learning to hide behind "armor" (spikes) and masks results in happiness
- It is hurtful when we judge others (and ourselves) on appearance only
- Overly identifying with physical features or doing that to others can be harmful and limiting
The fact that it does all of this in less than 20 pages is pretty impressive, honestly, and I do think these are valuable lessons and present a good opportunity for a talk with children about this kind of self-awareness (critical thinking in these areas can never begin too early, in my opinion).
What is unfortunate is that I do think the book would have been just as effective and more appealing to a wider audience without the three disturbing animal abuse examples, particularly since some may stop reading at that point and never get to the life lessons Spiky learns. For one thing, there are plenty of other examples that could emphasize how bad Spiky is without venturing into sociopathic territory—honestly, the author could have stopped after laughing at the frogs for being ugly. But, my biggest concern is that these examples could plant ideas into the impressionable heads of children. Even though the book repeatedly says these things are "bad" (meaning, "don't do them"):
- I'm not sure very young children reading this on their own would be mentally and emotionally mature enough to really understand this book is not condoning those things without a parent to back it up.
- "Bad" things can be appealing because of the contrary nature of humans in that, once we are told not to do something, that thing is then all we want to do (even knowing, or especially knowing, it's a "bad" thing to do).
So, because of these nuances I docked a 1/2 star, bringing it down to a 3.
I don't have kids, but if I did I always thought that I'd try to read the books my kids are reading (or at least skim them) to vet the content, and this book is an excellent example of why I feel this is a good idea. I think the way I would handle this book is to read it with the children (even if they are able to read on their own) at least for the first time, then use it as an opportunity to talk about what Spiky learned and specifically to address the animal cruelty issues. For very young children, you could skip those pages altogether or alter the wording to make it less disturbing until the children are old enough to read on their own and realize you are skipping whole sections, which would also mean they'd be old enough to have a talk about it all.
I did like the artwork. The colors were soothing and the style of drawings was unique. It almost felt reminiscent of some of the drawings in books from when I was a kid (70s).
I received this as a Kindle First Reads book for June 2019.
When I got my selections for Kindle First Reads this month, it was more of the same: WWII, biographies of people I’ve never heard of or have no interest in reading about, and psychological thrillers. Boring! I was going to pick nothing, but then looked at the children's one and it seemed promising.
Until I read the disturbing and alarming reviews on Amazon.
I decided to not get it and forego a free book this month, but morbid curiosity has won out and I got Spiky. I wanted to read it for myself and form my own opinion.
Spiky has a lot of spikes on him. This is great because he is a loner and the spikes keep people away from him.
He is also BAD. VERY BAD. His dad even sent him to a school for being bad, that is how bad he is.
To demonstrate how bad he is, there are lots of snarling drawings of him, and we learn that he steals food from other animals, makes faces at the trees, and laughs at frogs for being ugly. The most upsetting bits for other reviewers were that he also:
- Pulls the wings off butterflies because he is jealous they can fly (this is only in text, the graphic shows him trying to catch a butterfly with a net).
- Captures birds in glass jars to punish them for being so happy (graphic does show birds in a glass jar).
- Pokes holes in the shells of live snails because they are slimy and slow (this is only in text, the graphic shows his shadow looming over a fleeing snail).
But, one day, all of his spikes fall out.
Here we come to the crux of Spiky's identity crisis: His whole view of himself came from his dad, who taught Spiky that he is bad because he has spikes, which are sharp and hurtful and intimidating (meaning that as a porcupine Spiky must also be sharp and hurtful and intimidating to others so his inside reflects his outside).
But, now that he has no spikes, who is Spiky? His only representation of his identity and personality has disappeared. He had never considered who he is beyond the physical attribute of his spikes.
While contemplating all of this, the other animals make fun of Spiky because he is naked and squishy and pink and does not look scary any longer.
While sulking on a rock, a rabbit named Bernardo approaches Spiky and asks him what's wrong. Spiky tells Bernardo that he doesn't know who he is anymore without his spikes, and Bernardo takes Spiky under his paw, introduces Spiky to his family, and Spiky gets to know them all.
Spiky also learns about all the activities you can do that don't involve hurting others and what a hindrance his spikes had been—suddenly, he could now feel the cool breezes, enjoy swimming as the water splashes on him, sunbathe, and roll in the grass so the blades tickled him.
Eventually, Spiky's spikes return (there is no explanation for these occurrences, other than I guess the Universe is trying to tell him something) and, with that, he assumes his scary identity has also returned, so he resumes scaring the other animals in the forest as if nothing ever happened.
Except something did happen, because he experienced personal growth.
So, being scary doesn't feel quite right anymore.
Spiky goes back to his sulking rock and ponders what the point of all the scariness is. He thinks about how he has come to appreciate the vibrancy the other animals bring to the forest, how the trees had sheltered him when he played in the grass, and how the birds weren't as annoying as the thought (though he still doesn't like snails).
Sidenote: I do wish he had also had thoughts here about how terrible it was to trap the birds, bore holes into the live snails, and de-wing the butterflies to reinforce that those things are to be regretted too since they were the most reprehensible.
Bernardo finds him and asks what's wrong. Spiky asks Bernardo if he is afraid of him now that he has his spikes back, and Bernardo says he isn't afraid because Spiky is still Spiky, with or without his his spikes. Bernardo invites Spiky to visit his family again and for many days they do activities and have fun (there is a cute drawing of Spiky on a blow-up raft in the water, but it is deflating because one of his spikes poked a hole in it, LOL).
Over time, Spiky learns that it feels good to be kind and open to new experiences and to make friends and that his spikes don't define him.
I think this book is supposed to be a commentary on how:
- Our looks do not define who we (or others) are
- Letting others define us instead of figuring out who we are on our own can be detrimental
- Being open and honest about who we are with others instead of learning to hide behind "armor" (spikes) and masks results in happiness
- It is hurtful when we judge others (and ourselves) on appearance only
- Overly identifying with physical features or doing that to others can be harmful and limiting
The fact that it does all of this in less than 20 pages is pretty impressive, honestly, and I do think these are valuable lessons and present a good opportunity for a talk with children about this kind of self-awareness (critical thinking in these areas can never begin too early, in my opinion).
What is unfortunate is that I do think the book would have been just as effective and more appealing to a wider audience without the three disturbing animal abuse examples, particularly since some may stop reading at that point and never get to the life lessons Spiky learns. For one thing, there are plenty of other examples that could emphasize how bad Spiky is without venturing into sociopathic territory—honestly, the author could have stopped after laughing at the frogs for being ugly. But, my biggest concern is that these examples could plant ideas into the impressionable heads of children. Even though the book repeatedly says these things are "bad" (meaning, "don't do them"):
- I'm not sure very young children reading this on their own would be mentally and emotionally mature enough to really understand this book is not condoning those things without a parent to back it up.
- "Bad" things can be appealing because of the contrary nature of humans in that, once we are told not to do something, that thing is then all we want to do (even knowing, or especially knowing, it's a "bad" thing to do).
So, because of these nuances I docked a 1/2 star, bringing it down to a 3.
I don't have kids, but if I did I always thought that I'd try to read the books my kids are reading (or at least skim them) to vet the content, and this book is an excellent example of why I feel this is a good idea. I think the way I would handle this book is to read it with the children (even if they are able to read on their own) at least for the first time, then use it as an opportunity to talk about what Spiky learned and specifically to address the animal cruelty issues. For very young children, you could skip those pages altogether or alter the wording to make it less disturbing until the children are old enough to read on their own and realize you are skipping whole sections, which would also mean they'd be old enough to have a talk about it all.
I did like the artwork. The colors were soothing and the style of drawings was unique. It almost felt reminiscent of some of the drawings in books from when I was a kid (70s).
January 12, 2021
Oh I loved this one. So did the kiddo (6). It sets up a good tale of those who might be "bad" and them getting their alleged deserved comeuppance and how that might play out. There's a lot to think about and talk about after if you're into that sort of thing ;) We tend to just read through and right onto the next, but I could see how this would be a good book to use to show how to be kind, make friends, and forgive even the baddest of baddies.
June 18, 2019
This is a cute illustrated kids book about an animal called Spiky. He prides himself on being bad to other forest creatures, until one day, he starts to lose his spikes.
Only then does Spiky realize how it feels to be teased and picked on.
Thanks to the help of Bernardo the Bunny, Spiky soon realizes that he can do new things without his spikes. But when they suddenly grow back, he has a decision to make.
Only then does Spiky realize how it feels to be teased and picked on.
Thanks to the help of Bernardo the Bunny, Spiky soon realizes that he can do new things without his spikes. But when they suddenly grow back, he has a decision to make.
August 16, 2019
I choose this book because of the message, but the text was just okay for me. Predictable with no surprises or even "aha" moments (except when Spiky says "aha!"). Even the attempted humor fell short. The illustrations are the best part.
September 4, 2019
Cute illustrations. Overall a good children's book.
June 3, 2019
I can relate
A very well written book about grumpy people, I believe. A good take off on explaining to a young one that we don't have to be mean or grumpy. Also, in spite of our differences (or spikes) we are who we are and can enjoy the company of those not like us.
A very well written book about grumpy people, I believe. A good take off on explaining to a young one that we don't have to be mean or grumpy. Also, in spite of our differences (or spikes) we are who we are and can enjoy the company of those not like us.
June 2, 2019
It's a great story. My kid liked it.
Really fast read, small words make it easy to follow.
Read on a big screen or in print for better viewing.
Really fast read, small words make it easy to follow.
Read on a big screen or in print for better viewing.
October 13, 2021
Read for my toddler’s bedtime. This animal has spikes all over his body so his name is Spiky. Since he has spikes, he feels dangerous to others so he bully others. But one day all of his spikes fall out. He is no longer intimidating and so he cries and don’t know what to do. A wise bunny console him and befriended him. Later his spikes grows back and he hesitated whether he should go back to being a bully or continue to be nice.
Read from kindle unlimited.
Read from kindle unlimited.
June 26, 2019
Story in a nutshell: *Sarcastic* Yay...
I know this is just a kids book trying to give a lesson, but I don't find it a good lesson for little children. It's the equivalent of saying, 'hey kid, you see that naked stranger ripping those kids arms off in a playground? Go over there and befriend him. I'm sure he'll stop abducting people if you show him how to be nice.'
Also you apparently don't have to do anything to deserve forgiveness or redemption (not that there was anything Spiky could of done for what he did but he didn't even try). Just stop being mean after you kill people and we can all have a happy ending. Oh and if you go back to being mean, it's still all good cause we're friends! The end!
I know this is just a kids book trying to give a lesson, but I don't find it a good lesson for little children. It's the equivalent of saying, 'hey kid, you see that naked stranger ripping those kids arms off in a playground? Go over there and befriend him. I'm sure he'll stop abducting people if you show him how to be nice.'
Also you apparently don't have to do anything to deserve forgiveness or redemption (not that there was anything Spiky could of done for what he did but he didn't even try). Just stop being mean after you kill people and we can all have a happy ending. Oh and if you go back to being mean, it's still all good cause we're friends! The end!
June 27, 2019
omg Totally freakin adorable!
So, yeah, I'm 38 years old and I like to read:
1) totally whacked out bizarro fiction
2) sh*t from centuries ago
3) and, yes, I'm still a total sucker for kid books
Deal with that however you need to.
Because I'm just fine. Lol
Anyway...
It's totally freakin adorable and I love the artwork.
Funny, too!
I dig the characters.
Yay, Spiky! :)
So, yeah, I'm 38 years old and I like to read:
1) totally whacked out bizarro fiction
2) sh*t from centuries ago
3) and, yes, I'm still a total sucker for kid books
Deal with that however you need to.
Because I'm just fine. Lol
Anyway...
It's totally freakin adorable and I love the artwork.
Funny, too!
I dig the characters.
Yay, Spiky! :)
June 5, 2019
Cute
Spiky is about a little guy that is covered in spikes and so he tries to be bad and scary all the time. One day he looses his spikes and has no clue what to do or how to act so a friend comes and helps him.
This was a cute story about learning about who you are and who you can be. And the being a bully isn’t always the best choice.
The illustrations were simple and fun and the overall story was creative and interesting. I really liked this book.
Spiky is about a little guy that is covered in spikes and so he tries to be bad and scary all the time. One day he looses his spikes and has no clue what to do or how to act so a friend comes and helps him.
This was a cute story about learning about who you are and who you can be. And the being a bully isn’t always the best choice.
The illustrations were simple and fun and the overall story was creative and interesting. I really liked this book.
June 6, 2019
Really good
Really good book and cute pictures. Maybe a few words were too big for my four year old, but he got the gist of it. I feel like the word prints were too small while reading it on my phone. But maybe there is a way to zoom in that I don't know about, so that could be a fault of my own.
Really good book and cute pictures. Maybe a few words were too big for my four year old, but he got the gist of it. I feel like the word prints were too small while reading it on my phone. But maybe there is a way to zoom in that I don't know about, so that could be a fault of my own.
June 7, 2019
It's so sweet!
I can't wait to read it to The Littles! Toddlers can be grumpy.
The art is adorable and I really like some of the vocabulary.
I can't wait to read it to The Littles! Toddlers can be grumpy.
The art is adorable and I really like some of the vocabulary.
June 4, 2019
Spiky
I liked the whole think. The best part was when he got pink. I liked all the spikes on him too and the bunny was cute. Review by
Robert’s granddaughter
I liked the whole think. The best part was when he got pink. I liked all the spikes on him too and the bunny was cute. Review by
Robert’s granddaughter
June 3, 2019
Cute.
Got as a Prime first read. Our 11 month old son giggled as we read through as a bedtime read.
Got as a Prime first read. Our 11 month old son giggled as we read through as a bedtime read.
April 27, 2019
Excellent drawings and humorous visual effects to teach us that there's no point causing harm and that it is ultimately joyful to care for one another. The event of losing spikes didn't concern me but their sudden reappearance was befuddling, so that could use a tiny bit more development.
April 9, 2019
Spiky by Ilaria Guarducci (translated by Laura Watkinson). PICTURE BOOK. Amazon Crossing Kids, JUNE 2019. $18. 978-1542040433
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Spiky has been raised to be big and bad and mean. When his spikes fall off he isn’t sure what to do, until a bunny befriends him and shows how to be nice. Then his spikes reappear and Spiky has decide what kind of being he truly wants to be.
The examples of what Spiky does when he is rotten are truly terrifying, so know you’re audience. But the complete story is a true gem that can be read, enjoyed, and discussed, and then read again.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Spiky has been raised to be big and bad and mean. When his spikes fall off he isn’t sure what to do, until a bunny befriends him and shows how to be nice. Then his spikes reappear and Spiky has decide what kind of being he truly wants to be.
The examples of what Spiky does when he is rotten are truly terrifying, so know you’re audience. But the complete story is a true gem that can be read, enjoyed, and discussed, and then read again.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
June 26, 2019
Amazing Art
Spiky was a bit graphic for my liking. The weight of the bad guy in the story out weighed the good guy. I wouldn’t read this to my 5 year old, puting holes in snail shells is unsettling and ripping the wings of butterflies... that’s graphic for a kid!
The art is on point. I really do love art work. It perfect portrays the story. I’m glad I read through this first, i won’t be reading this to my kiddos.
Spiky was a bit graphic for my liking. The weight of the bad guy in the story out weighed the good guy. I wouldn’t read this to my 5 year old, puting holes in snail shells is unsettling and ripping the wings of butterflies... that’s graphic for a kid!
The art is on point. I really do love art work. It perfect portrays the story. I’m glad I read through this first, i won’t be reading this to my kiddos.
February 28, 2019
Best as a read aloud. It could spark some really valuable conversations with students.
September 11, 2025
The picture book “Spiky” - written by Ilaria Guarducci - is a short story that follows the adventures of the young Spiky Spikington. Spiky was born to be scary. He uses his spikes to scare off neighboring animals, ruin the fun of vile snails, and even get into the most prestigious school of badness. Spiky committed these heinous acts because he felt that there was nothing to be happy about. However, sitting at his dining room table one day, a spike feel from his body. Four more spikes fell off within a few minutes. Before he knew it, all of his spikes were gone, revealing his soft, pink, marshmallow-like skin. He retreated to a lonely rock, sitting in the sorrow of his inability to scare. Soon, Bernardo the bunny approached him and welcomed him into his daily activities and family. Spiky felt happy for once! After having the chance to be close to others without scaring them or hurting them, he woke up one morning with his spikes returned to him. He reverted to his old scaring ways, but felt incomplete. Retreating to his lonely rock once more, he was once again met by Bernardo. Instead of the bunny being scared away, he once again welcomed Spiky into his life. Spiky and Bernardo would go on to spend afternoon after afternoon together, discovering new, good feelings along the way.
This book was obviously put together to try and combat bullying as well as introduce the idea that it’s not just the bullies who need to do things different, but also those around him/her. I love the usage of Bernardo and how he is the symbol of inclusivity. I loved this book up until the very last page. Throughout the book, slugs were commonly referenced as gross, revolting even. On the last page, we see Bernardo and Spiky on another afternoon adventure. This time, they scare a slug together, laughing at their action afterwards with the book reading “…and it was a very, very good feeling” below the illustration. This turned me off to the book immediately. What if some kid doesn’t feel like a Spiky or a Bernardo? What if they feel like a slug? I don’t think as a teacher, I could justify communicating the idea that it’s ok to scare and belittle the “slugs” of the world.
I still love the content of the book, besides the last page. So, I would definitely use it as an example of how the students can handle a bullying situation from many standpoints. However, I would whiteout the parts about slugs being gross and revolting, as well as completely ripping or leaving out the last page. I would then try to have my students reflect on themselves as Spiky or Bernardo, introducing the concept of soul-searching.
This book was obviously put together to try and combat bullying as well as introduce the idea that it’s not just the bullies who need to do things different, but also those around him/her. I love the usage of Bernardo and how he is the symbol of inclusivity. I loved this book up until the very last page. Throughout the book, slugs were commonly referenced as gross, revolting even. On the last page, we see Bernardo and Spiky on another afternoon adventure. This time, they scare a slug together, laughing at their action afterwards with the book reading “…and it was a very, very good feeling” below the illustration. This turned me off to the book immediately. What if some kid doesn’t feel like a Spiky or a Bernardo? What if they feel like a slug? I don’t think as a teacher, I could justify communicating the idea that it’s ok to scare and belittle the “slugs” of the world.
I still love the content of the book, besides the last page. So, I would definitely use it as an example of how the students can handle a bullying situation from many standpoints. However, I would whiteout the parts about slugs being gross and revolting, as well as completely ripping or leaving out the last page. I would then try to have my students reflect on themselves as Spiky or Bernardo, introducing the concept of soul-searching.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2021
Każdy z nas czasem jest takim "Szpilką", osobnikiem nieuprzejmym, złośliwym i wstrętnym. Bywamy tacy, bo życie uzbraja nas, z roku na rok, z dnia na dzień, w szpilki, które wyrastają nam najczęściej w celach samoobronnych i tak zaczynamy kłuć kogo popadnie, byle samemu nie zostać zranionym. "Szpilka" Ilariy Guarducci, to opowieść właśnie o kimś "takim". Stworzeniu, którego nikt nie nauczył miłości, za to całkiem nieźle nauczono go złości... bo wiecie, w tych szpilkach, które nosimy w duszy, nie ma nic złego, bo bronić się jakoś trzeba a wielu niegodziwców (niestety) świat nosi, ale chodzi o to, by samemu nie stać się Szpilką, by nie zatracić zdolności kochania.
Ta niepozorna książeczka w bardzo mądry sposób pokazuje czytelnikowi (nie tylko najmłodszemu) jak czasem trudno zrozumieć samego siebie. To, czego nas uczą, czego od nas wymagają, to w jakim środowisku dorastamy sprawia, że często postrzegamy swoją osobę w krzywym zwierciadle. Jeśli nauczy się dziecko, że ma być okrutne, złośliwe i niemiłe, to to dziecko takie będzie, ale czy faktycznie chce takie być? Czy to wypływa z jego natury? Otóż nie. Ono tylko robi to, co sądzi, że robić powinno - pragnie przetrwać.
Autorka stworzyła bohatera, który jest przekonany, że ma zadawać ból. Jest w końcu Szpilką, ostrym, kłującym, najeżonym - taka jego natura. Musi być taki! Bo kim by był, gdyby nie był tym, kim jest? Cóż... Szpilka boi się, że bez tej swojej złości, przestanie być sobą... ale spotyka kogoś... kogoś bardzo mądrego i UWAGA miłego i to miłe stworzenie pokazuje mu, że nie musi kłuć, by spełniać się jako Szpilka.
Ilaria Guarducci stworzyła inspirującą i pouczającą opowieść, którą wypełniła pięknymi ilustracjami, a Wydawnictwo :Dwukropek nam podało tę książeczkę w bardzo elegancki sposób (twarda oprawa, gruby papier, piękne kolory). Polecam, bo mnie ta historia ujęła i sprawiła, że inaczej patrzę na "swoje szpilki".
bo każdy SZPILKĘ w sobie ma
7/10
Wydawnictwo :Dwukropek
Ta niepozorna książeczka w bardzo mądry sposób pokazuje czytelnikowi (nie tylko najmłodszemu) jak czasem trudno zrozumieć samego siebie. To, czego nas uczą, czego od nas wymagają, to w jakim środowisku dorastamy sprawia, że często postrzegamy swoją osobę w krzywym zwierciadle. Jeśli nauczy się dziecko, że ma być okrutne, złośliwe i niemiłe, to to dziecko takie będzie, ale czy faktycznie chce takie być? Czy to wypływa z jego natury? Otóż nie. Ono tylko robi to, co sądzi, że robić powinno - pragnie przetrwać.
Autorka stworzyła bohatera, który jest przekonany, że ma zadawać ból. Jest w końcu Szpilką, ostrym, kłującym, najeżonym - taka jego natura. Musi być taki! Bo kim by był, gdyby nie był tym, kim jest? Cóż... Szpilka boi się, że bez tej swojej złości, przestanie być sobą... ale spotyka kogoś... kogoś bardzo mądrego i UWAGA miłego i to miłe stworzenie pokazuje mu, że nie musi kłuć, by spełniać się jako Szpilka.
Ilaria Guarducci stworzyła inspirującą i pouczającą opowieść, którą wypełniła pięknymi ilustracjami, a Wydawnictwo :Dwukropek nam podało tę książeczkę w bardzo elegancki sposób (twarda oprawa, gruby papier, piękne kolory). Polecam, bo mnie ta historia ujęła i sprawiła, że inaczej patrzę na "swoje szpilki".
bo każdy SZPILKĘ w sobie ma
7/10
Wydawnictwo :Dwukropek
July 1, 2021
“Szpilka” to opowieść o ciekawym stworze, który mieszka w lesie, jest samotnikiem, lubi straszyć, jest absolwentem Szkoły Zła, a ponadto pokryty jest kolcami. Ma je na brzuchu, rękach, na twarzy, dosłownie wszędzie.
Wszystko jest dobrze, Szpilka chętnie straszy, napawa się swoją naturą, do momentu, kiedy zaczyna tracić kolce. Najpierw jeden kolec, potem drugi, trzeci, czwarty, aż w końcu Szpilka pozostaje bez kolców i jego ciało jest całkowicie gołe - gładkie, różowe i miłe w dotyku.
Szpilka załamuje się, gdyż po utracie kolców nikt się go nie boi, wręcz przeciwnie - każdy się z niego śmieje. Już nie jest postrachem małych, niewinnych zwierząt, a pośmiewiskiem. Siada na kamieniu i zaczyna się zastanawiać nad swoim życiem, kiedy… spotyka zająca, który ani się go nie boi, ani się z niego nie śmieje. Bardzo naturalne spotkanie i rozmowa sprawia, że Szpilka zostaje przyjacielem królika. Spędzają razem ciekawie czas, Szpilka przywiązuje się do królika… Niestety, Szpilka odzyskuje kolce. Z jednej strony cieszy się z tego faktu, z drugiej zaś… martwi się, iż nie może więcej być czyimś przyjacielem.
“Szpilka” to pięknie ilustrowana historia o stworzeniu, które nigdy nie miało przyjaciół, jednak po zdobyciu choć jednego - nie chce wracać do samotnych dni spędzanych jedynie we własnym towarzystwie lub w towarzystwie bojących się go zwierząt, zazwyczaj mniejszych i bezbronnych. Jest to bardzo dobry przykład, który pokazuje, że lepiej jest być miłym, łagodnym i mieć kogoś bliskiego, niż być złym i spędzać życie w samotności. Bajka nie jest długa, idealnie sprawdzi się jako czytanka na dobranoc. Polecam!
Wszystko jest dobrze, Szpilka chętnie straszy, napawa się swoją naturą, do momentu, kiedy zaczyna tracić kolce. Najpierw jeden kolec, potem drugi, trzeci, czwarty, aż w końcu Szpilka pozostaje bez kolców i jego ciało jest całkowicie gołe - gładkie, różowe i miłe w dotyku.
Szpilka załamuje się, gdyż po utracie kolców nikt się go nie boi, wręcz przeciwnie - każdy się z niego śmieje. Już nie jest postrachem małych, niewinnych zwierząt, a pośmiewiskiem. Siada na kamieniu i zaczyna się zastanawiać nad swoim życiem, kiedy… spotyka zająca, który ani się go nie boi, ani się z niego nie śmieje. Bardzo naturalne spotkanie i rozmowa sprawia, że Szpilka zostaje przyjacielem królika. Spędzają razem ciekawie czas, Szpilka przywiązuje się do królika… Niestety, Szpilka odzyskuje kolce. Z jednej strony cieszy się z tego faktu, z drugiej zaś… martwi się, iż nie może więcej być czyimś przyjacielem.
“Szpilka” to pięknie ilustrowana historia o stworzeniu, które nigdy nie miało przyjaciół, jednak po zdobyciu choć jednego - nie chce wracać do samotnych dni spędzanych jedynie we własnym towarzystwie lub w towarzystwie bojących się go zwierząt, zazwyczaj mniejszych i bezbronnych. Jest to bardzo dobry przykład, który pokazuje, że lepiej jest być miłym, łagodnym i mieć kogoś bliskiego, niż być złym i spędzać życie w samotności. Bajka nie jest długa, idealnie sprawdzi się jako czytanka na dobranoc. Polecam!
March 25, 2022
Skipy é um porquinho espinho muito mal , mas ele não está nem aí ! vive seus dias sem se importar com os outros , e todo o mal que ele provoca , afinal ninguém o suporta , e ele também não suporta ninguém . Um dia , a vida faz uma reviravolta , e ele vê que todas as suas crenças foram simplesmente derrotadas , agora ele se encontra numa outra situação . A vida não tem mais sentido , ele nem sabe mais quem ele é , oque será de Skipy ?
Pois é amigos a vida imita a arte , e porque não ? pode ser até que você não seja tão espinhoso quando nosso protagonista spiky , mas talvez você não aceite as pessoas como elas são , só porque não sejam como você . Talvez elas sejam extrovertidas demais ? caladas demais ? ou simplesmente você não se importa , e vive sua vida solitária e prazerosa dentro de sua bolha . Mas um dia você será surpreendido , e sua bolha confortável estourou , e agora ? o'que você vai fazer ?
Maquiavel em seu livro já dizia para não destruir suas pontes na ida , porque você poderá precisar delas na volta , então construa pontes , não precisa ser aquela ponte maravilhosa , mas faça contatos , faça amigos , porque nas reviravoltas da vida , e melhor ter um barquinho perto , do ficar a deriva no mar .
Não existe solução mágica , ou caminho fácil , um dia todos nós podemos nos sentir perdidos e sem direção , pensando que a vida já não vale a pena , sem saber o'que fazer , nesta hora apenas um abraço amigo pode te levantar e aqueles que te amam , dar uma nova direção e um novo sentido para tudo .
Pois é amigos a vida imita a arte , e porque não ? pode ser até que você não seja tão espinhoso quando nosso protagonista spiky , mas talvez você não aceite as pessoas como elas são , só porque não sejam como você . Talvez elas sejam extrovertidas demais ? caladas demais ? ou simplesmente você não se importa , e vive sua vida solitária e prazerosa dentro de sua bolha . Mas um dia você será surpreendido , e sua bolha confortável estourou , e agora ? o'que você vai fazer ?
Maquiavel em seu livro já dizia para não destruir suas pontes na ida , porque você poderá precisar delas na volta , então construa pontes , não precisa ser aquela ponte maravilhosa , mas faça contatos , faça amigos , porque nas reviravoltas da vida , e melhor ter um barquinho perto , do ficar a deriva no mar .
Não existe solução mágica , ou caminho fácil , um dia todos nós podemos nos sentir perdidos e sem direção , pensando que a vida já não vale a pena , sem saber o'que fazer , nesta hora apenas um abraço amigo pode te levantar e aqueles que te amam , dar uma nova direção e um novo sentido para tudo .
June 30, 2019
Just Can’t Get Past the Animal Abuse
Maybe I’m being naive, but I just can’t condone animal torture on any level. I understand this shows how very bad Spiky is. And if Spiky showed us his evil ways without torturing insects, I would have given this book 5 stars. I like the characters, the drawings, the story.
One could argue they are just insects which are killed all the time. (I admit, I don’t even kill insects if I can catch them and let them go.) It is Spiky’s delight in his actions that I find disturbing. Well, to be fair, he just wants everyone to be as unhappy as he is. I can’t help but think that psychopaths start small. Children should be taught to respect all life forms, do no harm.
There is so much sadness in the world today, and mean acts and words run rampant. I don’t think a child should be exposed to this in a children’s story. I remember being shocked when Bambi’s mother was shot. These scenes can stay with a person forever.
I’m sure every child will at some point mention an act of violence they see at school or on the news. That would be a good time to discuss the subject with them. Not in a children’s story, which I believe should make the child feel good. Just my humble opinion.
Maybe I’m being naive, but I just can’t condone animal torture on any level. I understand this shows how very bad Spiky is. And if Spiky showed us his evil ways without torturing insects, I would have given this book 5 stars. I like the characters, the drawings, the story.
One could argue they are just insects which are killed all the time. (I admit, I don’t even kill insects if I can catch them and let them go.) It is Spiky’s delight in his actions that I find disturbing. Well, to be fair, he just wants everyone to be as unhappy as he is. I can’t help but think that psychopaths start small. Children should be taught to respect all life forms, do no harm.
There is so much sadness in the world today, and mean acts and words run rampant. I don’t think a child should be exposed to this in a children’s story. I remember being shocked when Bambi’s mother was shot. These scenes can stay with a person forever.
I’m sure every child will at some point mention an act of violence they see at school or on the news. That would be a good time to discuss the subject with them. Not in a children’s story, which I believe should make the child feel good. Just my humble opinion.
June 29, 2019
I have some mixed feelings about Spiky .
I liked:
1. The illustrations were top notch, full of vibrant colors, clean lines and fun for young children.
2. The idea of helping someone to become your friend and doing fun activities is great.
3. The end of the book shows acceptance of those that are different and the changes for the better the character, Spiky made with help form his new friends.
Concerns:
l. I read the eBook Kindle version and the variation in print size would not show the consistency that young children find helps them learn, so it limits the book to a book being read by adults and would be difficult for young readers that are learning to recognize letters.
2. The beginning of the story had so much detail about how bad Spiky was to the other animals and some of the things he did was hurtful both physically and emotionally. This is not a good way to help children learn to socialize. Young children could get confused and take away the wrong idea and think hurting is acceptable.
I think the book could be used with young children with guidance from a caring adult with an approach to encourage the good points and down play the negative ones.
I liked:
1. The illustrations were top notch, full of vibrant colors, clean lines and fun for young children.
2. The idea of helping someone to become your friend and doing fun activities is great.
3. The end of the book shows acceptance of those that are different and the changes for the better the character, Spiky made with help form his new friends.
Concerns:
l. I read the eBook Kindle version and the variation in print size would not show the consistency that young children find helps them learn, so it limits the book to a book being read by adults and would be difficult for young readers that are learning to recognize letters.
2. The beginning of the story had so much detail about how bad Spiky was to the other animals and some of the things he did was hurtful both physically and emotionally. This is not a good way to help children learn to socialize. Young children could get confused and take away the wrong idea and think hurting is acceptable.
I think the book could be used with young children with guidance from a caring adult with an approach to encourage the good points and down play the negative ones.
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