Scorch, Hedgehog of Doom

Ages 4 to 8

Scorch, the Hedgehog of Doom (and class pet of room 402), learns that she can be ferocious and adorable in this hilarious, high-drama story about self-image and identity.

Scorch the hedgehog is determined to be ferocious. The doomsy-est, most menacing class pet ever known. She’s not just Scorch, she’s… Scorch, Hedgehog of Doom!

There’s just one problem—Scorch is kind of adorable. So adorable, in fact, that it’s all anyone ever notices.

With each swirl of her cloak, each sharp claw raised high, each baring of her chilling chompers, the kids of room 402 don’t fall back in fear or quiver with tears. Instead, they cry, “Awww! Adorable!”

Tired of being seen as just one thing, Scorch flies into action, determined to show how truly terrifying she can be. But when her flipping, training, and high-flying efforts land her in true danger—the home of the classroom’s other scaled, slithering, cold-blooded animal occupant—Scorch must harness and embrace all the parts of her unique self. Put to the ultimate test, she finds power in being ferociously adorable and killer cute.

Readers will fall for this ferociously “awww”-inspiring story starring a beloved class pet about self-image, identity, and finding harmony among the many different, sometimes contradictory pieces of ourselves.

About the Author

Cate Berry lives, writes, and teaches creative writing in Austin, Texas. She is the author of numerous picture books, including Penguin & Tiny Shrimp Don’t Do Bedtime!, Chicken Break! A Counting Book, and Thank You, Teacher!. Recently, she co-authored Kobe Eats Pizza! with Ashley Wian. Cate holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and has been a featured author and presenter at the Texas Book Festival and many SCBWI conferences. Visit her at www.cateberry.com.

Magherita Grasso is an illustrator and graphic designer, living and working in Milan, Italy. She studied illustration and digital and virtual design at Istituto Europeo di Design. She loves to represent the world around her with colors and humor. Where there’s a shadow, there’s a light, too, and in all her illustrations the light and its reflections are the protagonists.