Quill the Forest Keeper by Marije Tolman
Published by Levine Querido on September 8, 2022
ISBN: 164614452X
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads

It’s impossible not to enjoy a book that begins “Outside it’s cold and quiet. Inside it smells of hot blueberry pie.” While basking in the delicious aroma, Grandpa hedgehog is asked to tell a story of a prior, less relaxing time. He regales his family with a tale of the Terrible Rush Era, when everybody rushed around and had no time to pick up their environment. Everybody, that is, but Quill the Forest Keeper, a dedicated forest-cleaning hedgehog who worked so incessantly to clean up everyone’s mess he eventually collapsed, ushering in a new era of animals banding together to keep the forest clean and reprioritize their values.

In a time of political uncertainty and eco-anxiety, books like Quill the Forest Keeper become treasures. There is no virtue signaling involved on Quill’s part; he just does what he can to help out and ends up inspiring others to do the same. The illustrations are unique and bold, yet charming and effective. It’s pure hygge for the picture book set; a simple message full of comfort and warmth.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath