• Age: 4 to 8
• Grade: p to 2

Spike's baby porcupine quills have hardened into sharp, "ouchy" points and he is not impressed. But his friend Rupert convinces him that "quills are the BEST", especially when a hungry bear finds the two friends in the forest and wants to eat them for his mid-day snack!

Includes back-matter and information about porcupines.

Sean Cassidy has written and illustrated a number of titles, including Wake up, Henry Rooster, Gummytoes, a Blue Spruce Award nominee, and Good to be Small, which won the Mr. Christie's Book Award Silver Seal. The Chicken Cat, which marked his debut as a picture book illustrator won both the Mr. Christie's Book Award Gold Seal and the Ruth Schwartz Award. Sean lives near Orangeville, Ontario.

Sean Cassidy's profile page

"It's fun when a book can be a great story as well as educational, and that's just the case with Kazaak!"
-- The Calgary Herald

Kazaak!

Young Spike is not impressed with his newly matured porcupine quills, especially when he hurts himself with them. His friend Rupert asserts that quills are great for keeping porcupines camouflaged and for protecting them from other animals. Although Spike is worried about running into Bear, he follows his friend into the woods, where Rupert shows him how to spear wild grapes and how to “kazaak” threatening carrots. However, when Rupert shows off to Spike, he loses nearly all his quills. Then Bear shows up, ready for lunch. Rupert tries “kazaaking” Bear, but only ends up tickling the hungry beast. Will Spike “kazaak” Bear to protect his friend, or does he have another idea?

This is a lovely story about friendship and courage. The narrative moves along quickly with the use of spare language and engaging dialogue. The illustrations are wonderful, full of detail and expressiveness of character. One of the best illustrations is certainly a foreground view of the quills on Rupert’s tail spearing a variety of wild grapes. Children will not only love repeating such phrases as “CHIK-chik” and “KAZAAK,” but they will also love comparing the visual representations of a quill-full “KAZAAK” and a quill-less one. At the end of the book is a two-page spread providing some interesting information about porcupines and directions on how to draw them. Children will enjoy this story that is touched with humour and a little porcupine magic.