Erethizon Dorsatum—better known as Ereth, the self-centered, foul-tempered old porcupine—is having a birthday. And he fully expects his best friend Poppy, a deer mouse, to help him celebrate in a grand manner. But Poppy has gone off somewhere with her husband, Rye, and it appears she has forgotten all about it. "Belching Beavers," says Ereth, "I am not angry!" (Though, perhaps he is—and more than just a little.)

Ereth knows his special occasion deserves a special treat—even if he has to get it for himself. And what treat could be more special than tasty salt? But the nearest salt is located deep in the forest, in a cabin occupied by fur hunters, who have set out traps to capture the Dimwood Forest animals. In one of the traps, Ereth finds Leaper the Fox—who, with her dying breath, begs the prickly porcupine to take care of her three boisterous young kits, Tumble, Nimble, and Flip. "Jellied walrus warts!" Ereth exclaims, but reluctantly agrees.

Certainly this day is not going as he planned—and it's only just the beginning! Not only does Ereth suddenly have a rambunctious new family to take care of, but he's being stalked by Marty the Fisher, the one creature in Dimwood Forest who can do him harm. And Bounder, the father of the three little foxes, remembers all too well the nose full of quills he got a while back from the grumpy old animal who now fancies himself the leader of the den. He too sets out to show Ereth who's boss. Throw in an unexpected snowstorm, and all in all, it adds up to one brithday Ereth the porcupine is never going to forget, not even if he lives to be a hundred and twenty-two!

ANNOTATION

Feeling neglected on his birthday, Ereth, the cantankerous old porcupine, sets out looking for his favorite treat and instead finds himself acting as "mother" to three young fox kits.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Erethizon Dorsatum - better known as Ereth, the self-centered, foul-tempered old porcupine - is having a birthday. And he fully expects his best friend Poppy, a deer mouse, to help him celebrate in a grand manner. But Poppy has gone off somewhere with her husband, Rye, and it appears she has forgotten all about it. "Belching Beavers," says Ereth, "I am not angry!" (Though, perhaps he is - and more than just a little.)

Ereth knows his special occasion deserves a special treat - even if he has to get it for himself. And what treat could be more special than tasty salt? But the nearest salt is located deep in the forest, in a cabin occupied by fur hunters, who have set out traps to capture the Dimwood Forest animals. In one of the traps, Ereth finds Leaper the Fox - who, with her dying breath, begs the prickly porcupine to take care of her three boisterous young kits, Tumble, Nimble, and Flip. "Jellied walrus warts!" Ereth exclaims, but reluctantly agrees.

Certainly this day is not going as he planned - and it's only just the beginning! Not only does Ereth suddenly have a rambunctious new family to take care of, but he's being stalked by Marty the Fisher, the one creature in Dimwood Forest who can do him harm. And Bounder, the father of the three little foxes, remembers all too well the nose full of quills he got a while back from the grumpy old animal who now fancies himself the leader of the den. He too sets out to show Ereth who's boss. Throw in an unexpected snowstorm, and all in all, it adds up to one brithday Ereth the porcupine is never going to forget, not even if he lives to be a hundred and twenty-two!

01-02 Golden Sower Award Masterlist (4-6 Cat.)

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Avi's (Poppy; Poppy and Rye; Ragweed) Dimwood Forest tales continue with this story--equal parts humor and suspense--that puts a non-mouse character in the limelight for the first time. Convinced that his best friend Poppy and her family have overlooked his birthday, Ereth, a curmudgeonly porcupine, wanders off in search of his favorite treat--salt. What he finds instead is an adventure he hadn't counted on: surrogate parenthood. He promises a female fox dying in a hunter's trap that he will look after her three kits until their father returns. Keeping the trio fed and out of trouble proves a Herculean task, one that teaches Ereth much about the ties that bind even as it softens some of his rough edges. His steadfast if grumpy devotion is rewarded when the three save him from an attack by a cunning fisher (a furry, four-legged creature with a hankering for porcupines). Avi delivers another crackling good read, one shot through with memorable descriptions (snow "sleeved tree branches in white") and crisp, credible dialogue. Above all, showcasing Ereth allows the author free range with his cantankerous character's trademark asides ("Babies. Nothing but poop and puke, puke and poop") and outbursts ("Sour snake sauce on spaghetti!"), many of which will have readers chuckling. Ages 8-12. (May) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

Children's Literature

"Go take a slide on a sludge pile!" is Ereth's advice to three young kids who have been left in his care by the mother fox, who has been caught in a trap and is dying. Ereth is a grumpy old porcupine that has set out on a journey to find something special for his birthday¿¿¿like salt. His deer mouse friend has seemingly forgotten his birthday, which makes him even grumpier. His adventures in Dimwood Forest are cleverly chronicled by Avi with equal parts of imagination and poignant sympathy. The story is appealing because the author gives all the animals distinctive personalities and tells the tale with suspense, humor and insight into the foibles of man and beast. The author even manages to tuck in information about what wild animals eat and what they do to survive. Ereth's humorous comments range from "boiled badger boogers" to "you tub of tinsel twist." Brian Floca illustrates the story and makes all the animals real and endearing¿¿¿especially the three little foxes. 2000, HarperCollins Children's Books. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Jean Leggett

Alan Review

Disappointed that friends have forgotten his birthday, the curmudgeonly porcupine Ereth skulks off through Dimwood Forest in search of his favorite food, salt. Along the way he discovers a mother fox caught in a trap. Obeying her dying wish, Ereth discovers her three lively kits and reluctantly cares for them. When the kits' father returns, Ereth unwillingly recognizes his strong feelings, love and jealousy intertwined. Heading home, his journey almost comes to a premature end when he meets the fisherman who has stalked him since the beginning of the novel. Middle school readers may not be surprised by the final plot twists, but they will delight in the way that good is triumphant and love is rewarded. The predatory nature of the animals in the final scenes adds a bit of realism, yet does not overwhelm. Ereth Birthday is a fine sequel to Ragweed, Poppy and Poppy and Rye. Genre: Animals/Fantasy. 2000, HarperCollins, 180 pp., $15.95. Ages 8 up. Reviewer: Kathy Pounds; Winston-Salem, North Carolina

The Five Owls

This fourth entry to Avi's popular Dimwood Forest tales moves away from Poppy, her mouse family, to hear from Erethizon Dorsatum, the prickly porcupine whom readers have taken to their hearts as fully as have Poppy's eleven children. The animal fantasy opens as Ereth awakens on his birthday and leaves his log to search for Poppy and her husband Rye. Ereth is sure that Poppy has planned something special for his birthday. But when the mouse children greet his snippy queries with laughter, the dejected Ereth proudly points his nose to the forest where he decides to soothe the wounds to his ego with salt, that most delicious and wonderful of porcupine treats. Ereth's journey through Dimwood Forest soon takes on the dimension of an heroic quest. Bad weather sets in and the best source of salt lies well-guarded by humans—and these humans are setting animal traps well-hidden by the piling snow. Avi pits the humor of Ereth's salivating desire for salt against very real threats to his safety. Not only are the humans dangerous, but so is the silent shadowy Marty the Fisher who has pursued Ereth and who has a particular revenge to exact against him. Ereth meets each challenge he faces with his characteristic grumbling valiancy. Even though salt calls him, he can't ignore the weakened cries for help he hears coming from the forest. And, when he finds a mother fox, bleeding and dying in the humans' trap, he can't ignore her plea to locate and care for her three children. Avi's masterful hand moderates the genuine emotional despair of these orphans against the tender comedy of the porcupine's generosity in exposing his warm belly in the fox's den to keep his new charges warm. This novel thriveson its celebration of unlikely domesticity. The vegetarian Ereth helps the carnivorous foxes find their mother's winter-stash of meat by sniffing out its repulsive odor. The spry, if naïve, foxes quickly prove themselves worthy as they contrive a plan to use snowballs to find and spring the humans' traps. When their father returns home, the children give him the adoring welcome he expects, but they soon return to Ereth as their tried and true protector and nurturer. In turn, Ereth grudgingly embraces the "family fungus," admits his love for the foundlings, and brings them home to Poppy's family. Ereth reminds one of Pooh's Eeyore. His colorful language and sprightly alliteration flavor this gratifying story about an old porcupine who discovers himself anew—on his birthday. 2000, HarperCollins, $15.95. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Cathryn M. Mercier — The Five Owls, September/October 2000 (Vol. 15 No. 1)

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-Ereth, the irascible porcupine first introduced in Poppy (Orchard, 1995), is the unwilling star of this latest foray into Dimwood Forest. Thrown into a fit of pique because Poppy has apparently forgotten his birthday, Ereth waddles furiously off into the forest in search of his favorite treat-salt. Instead, he finds a mother fox caught in a trap; her dying wish is that the aging "porky" take care of her children. Against his better judgment, he finds and helps the three young foxes-and his experience actually softens his prickly nature. Ereth is a fabulously cranky creature with an epithet ("boiled badger boogers!" "jellied walrus warts") for every occasion. His inner battle between his newfound kindness and his desire to be left alone to stew in his own bile makes for an effective, touching, and very funny story. A hungry fisher on the prowl adds an element of danger, as do the presence of 16 steel traps hidden around the foxes' den. The bouncy and irrepressible young foxes see right through Ereth's crusty exterior, although young Tumble is at first resentful of him and wishes for his irresponsible father, who visits when he pleases, instead. Floca's black-and-white sketches of the animals are scattered throughout. This charming tale is a wonderful addition to the chronicles of Dimwood Forest.- Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.| Read all 6 "From The Critics" >