NED AND THE GREAT GARDEN HAMSTER RACE

A young hamster is too focused on winning to stop and help others in need, until a mishap of his own teaches him that kindness matters more than speed.

Ned has been training hard for the Great Garden Hamster Race. Hamsters have gathered from around the globe, and though many of them look speedy, Ned is determined to win. Nothing will slow him down—not even encounters with a lost slug, hungry pigeons, and a rabbit trapped in a hole. But soon, Ned needs some help himself. When a passing fox treats him with unexpected kindness, Ned realizes that caring for others is more important than winning. He retraces his steps to help the other animals in distress. Long after dark, Ned is still running the race, but the end is in sight. He finds the other hamsters waiting for him so they can all cross the finish line together. The turning point focuses primarily on Ned’s actions rather than his thoughts or emotions; because the book doesn’t explore the motivation behind his change of heart, the message feels somewhat diminished. Still, it’s a feel-good tale, and the illustrations, painted in chunky brushstrokes with handwritten speech bubbles, brim with stylistic appeal.

A sweetly simple story with a straightforward, if somewhat superficial, message of altruism.