HOGBERT

Artful illustrations, clever text, and echoes of traditional tales combine to elevate this somewhat familiar story of an intrepid young boar.

Allusions to folktales abound, from the opening (“Once upon a time”) to admonishments to beware of the Big Bad Wolf and to “stick to the path.” Perhaps the most charming and subtle connection is the unremarked-upon appearance of a frog sporting a small crown. Hogbert, our hero, has a rounded body, a sweet smile, and chipmunk-style stripes. Savvy listeners won’t be too surprised when Hogbert follows his snout and becomes separated from his family when the piglets explore the woods for the first time. Luckily, he soon finds some equally engaging companions, from Red, a squirrel on her way to visit her granny (hmm, sounds familiar), to a pair of lost rabbits named Hopsel and Nettle. Together the animals, who can speak but otherwise act in species-appropriate ways, journey through the forest and manage to evade a (not very big and apparently also lost) wolf cub. Smith’s relatively lengthy third-person narration flows smoothly and features a variety of evocative words and phrases, along with a bit of unexpected but particularly apt slang. “Smell you later!” is Hogbert’s farewell to his new friend Red. The skilled depiction of the sylvan setting includes lovely flowers, towering trees, and constantly shifting light and shadow.

This low-key adventure is a pleasant diversion that effectively capitalizes on the appeal of timeless tales.