The Last Hedgehog by Pam Ayres (Picador £6.99 hardback - signed copies available at Little Apple while stocks last)
National Hedgehog Awareness week runs from May 6 to 12. Picador have brought out a stunning little gift book of Pam Ayres’ poem The Last Hedgehog with illustrations by Alice Tait. I must warn you though – it is a sad and angry read and will make you want to turn your garden into a hedgehog sanctuary.
It starts off with a jaunty air and a comic feel despite it mainly consisting of a macabre list of hedgehog demises. Then the poem shows how wonderful life could have been for our prickly friends, before turning to a polemic on modern gardening practices and human thoughtlessness.
These wonderful little creatures are at the mercy of spades, strimmers and bonfires. Their territory is barricaded by fences and wire. Life becomes a battle ground and if we lose these marvellous creatures that play a vital role in our ecosystem, we only have ourselves to blame.
At the back of the book is a list of tips to make your garden more hedgehog friendly, and at the front is a forward by Pam Ayres on why she is so passionate on the subject. So buy a copy for yourself and one for a friend and spread the word.
Philippa Morris, the Little Apple bookshop
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