The Birthday Presents

Rabbit & Hedgehog

by Paul Stewart, Chris Riddell (Illustrator)

Rabbit and Hedgehog do not know when their birthdays are so they decide to have them tomorrow just in case. When deciding what to give each other, they come up with the perfect solution.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Paul Stewart is a highly regarded author of books for young readers – from picture books to football stories, fantasy and horror. Together with Chris Riddell he is co-creator of the bestselling Edge Chronicles, which has sold more than three million copies and is available in over twenty languages. They have also collaborated together on lots of other exciting books for children of all ages. The Far-Flung Adventure series includes the Gold Smarties Prize Winner Fergus Crane, and Corby Flood and Hugo Pepper, both Silver Nestle Prize Winners. Then there are the Barnaby Grimes books, two Muddle Earth adventures, and the sci-fi Scavenger and fantasy Wyrmeweald trilogies. For younger readers there is the Blobheads series, while for the very young, Paul has written several picture books, including the Rabbit and Hedgehog series, In the Dark of the Night and, his latest, Wings.

Other authors by this name disambiguation Note:
Paul Stewart - business and management books

Reviews

[Abigail]

Rabbit and Hedgehog - two friends whose adventures began in A Little Bit of Winter , and continue in Rabbit's Wish and What Do You Remember? - decide, in the absence of any definite knowledge on the subject, to declare following day their birthdays, and to exchange gifts. But what can they get each other? Settling down for the night - one in his underground burrow, the other in the wide open - they each decide that the other is missing something very important, in his nighttime retreat, and plan accordingly...

Now well-known for their various fantasy series for children - The Edge Chronicles , Barnaby Grimes , Muddle Earth - author Paul Stewart and illustrator Chris Riddell first collaborated on this set of four Rabbit and Hedgehog books, and fans of the phenomenal duo will undoubtedly enjoy seeing where their work began. A sweet animal story, one that emphasizes the importance of friendship, and the idea that when it comes to gifts, it is the thought that counts, The Birthday Gifts has both narrative and visual appeal, and is recommended to fans of either the genre, or the author/illustrator team.

[babyhippoface]

It's Riddell's illustrations that make me love this one.

[Chelsea]

Rabbit and Hedgehog are such good friends that even odd birthday presents are special.

[Michelle Olson]

Cute story, loved the illustrations.

[Storywraps]

Rabbit and Hedgehog are two unlikely friends, but good friends they are. One day they are chatting away and realize that they have never had a birthday or even a birthday present - why in fact they didn't even know when their birthdays were. Now that is sad isn't it? Together they decide that they would officially declare tomorrow a grand day to celebrate and then they realize that gifts are required for each other for the happy occasion. Both wonder what they could possibility give to make each other happy? Hedgehog thinks and thinks and then discovers a glass bottle glimmering in the moonlight when he is down by the water's edge. He has an epiphany....the perfect gift for his friend he is sure. Rabbit curls up asleep in his cozy, safe, dark rabbit hole and, thinks of his friend sound asleep out in the open in the wild. He too has a revelation and voila he now knows exactly what to give to Hedgehog tomorrow. The friends accept the original gifts half-heartedly but find when they put their own personal thumbprints on them everything works out perfectly and meets their needs to a "t". Best of all the two friends find the best gift of all... their ongoing friendship, and they immediately begin to plan another birthday party very soon.

The illustrations are soft and full of expression and emotion. The characters are adorable and you just want to hug them. They add so much to the narrative and together : text + illustrations= perfection. Highly recommended.

[Joanna]

Rabbit and Hedgehog don’t know when their birthdays are so they decide to celebrate with presents (that’s what birthdays are all about)! Hedgehog thinks Rabbit must be scared because he doesn’t have light in his burrow, so he gives Rabbit a bottle of moonlight water. Rabbit thinks Hedgehog must be scared of the openness of sleeping outside, so he gives Rabbit gives him a box of cozy dark bedding. Neither of them are really scared, but they tell the other that the present is perfect. Later as they’re looking at their presents, they realize they can be repurposed to something they actually do want! And with that they plan to have another birthday soon.

I love that Hedgehog and Rabbit demonstrate that we sometimes don’t realize that our perspective isn’t always true for everyone (they each think the way the other sleeps and lives must be scary). They respond graciously to the presents even though they don’t really think they’re apt. And then instead of sulking or thinking badly of the other for giving them a bad present, they discover that each present can be used in a really uniquely useful way that does suit their way of living. It is delightful.

[Cassie]

A very sweet book with adorable images.

[Isoken]

Rabbit and Hedgehog decide that the next day will be their birthdays and they will exchange presents. Both come up with thoughtful gifts which turn out to be useful.

[D'ale lui Damian]

#recomandare
#cartipentrucopii
#vârsta3
@Editura Trei

O carte foarte îndrăgită de Damian ,a fost ,este și cu siguranță o sa rămână .
O carte despre prietenie, zi de naștere, cadouri ,despre diferențe,despre aprecierea cadourilor chiar dacă nu sunt ceea ce aveau nevoie.

https://youtu.be/4ffnLXGcDCw

[Женя]

Какая прелесть!
Ежик подарил кролику лунный свет(вода из озера в котором отражалась луна), чтобы тому не страшно было спать в своей норке.
А кролик ежику коробку со мхом, чтобы тот не мерз ночами.
Картинки такие милые, хотя у кролика точно что-то с глазами.

[Leandra Luna]

Soo magisch und süß. Eine der schönsten freundschafts Gutenachtgeschichten.

[kim]

sweet

[Kim]

A sweet book that perfectly illustrates friendship.

[Kreete]

Nii südamlik ja liigutav raamat.

[SARAH]

Bunny and Hedgehog decide to celebrate their birthdays and exchange gifts.

[Anna]

Well, this was lovely.