Something New in Cloverville?

In this children’s book, a hedgehog and skunk hope for resounding success at Cloverville’s Annual Summer Celebration.

Mayor Eddie Hedgehog has a problem. What can he do to make Cloverville’s Annual Summer Celebration spectacular? At Sophie Skunk’s store, he alights upon the perfect solution: a tomato rolling contest! With Sophie’s guidance, he chooses a location and sets the rules. As they work on the contest site, a flurry of residents becomes curious; soon, they’re lining up at Sophie’s Store to purchase tomatoes for the big event. Some of Cloverville’s children—among them, Penny Porcupine, Willard Warthog, and Tubby Turtle—deliberate about who might win the ultimate prize: a skateboard. They also must consider how each of them will climb the hill with a tomato and rolling stick. The work focuses on a theme of helping others, effectively demonstrating how community members can work in tandem to achieve positive outcomes. Connors’ illustrations feature primary colors and convincing character expressions that will engage young readers. However, there are moments when the text feels overlong, and the dialogue between the children feels oddly dated, with terms such as awesome and radical, and Willard Warthog’s suggestion that a skateboard “isn’t meant for a girl.” The plot also lacks compelling problems for the characters to solve, which might have developed a stronger feeling of teamwork among the townsfolk. That said, the relationships between the various characters generally feel authentic—and their actions may inspire kids to put together their own tomato-rolling contest.

A generally pleasant, if underdeveloped, tale of fun in a rural community.

- Kirkus Review