Taking Care

Francesca Pirrone is a freelance illustrator from Italy. As a child, she used to draw for hours. Her mother got so angry that she confiscated the eraser... but it was all for nothing. Pirrone went to the Art Institute in Florence and studied engraving, decorating, sculpture and mosaic. Her passion is to illustrate children's books. She loves to create characters and invent stories for them. She made a few tactile books for blind children. Two of them were awarded by the Italian Federation of the Blind. In 2016 she was honored with the Key Colours Award of Clavis for the book Bruno has 100 friends.

"Caring for others is noble, but it can be exhausting. Now starring in his fifth book, Piggy finds a baby hedgehog in the forest. He picks it up gently and, unsure of its care, calls the veterinarian. Diligently complying with the vet’s advice, Piggy provides love, puts the little creature in a box with a blanket, and feeds it goat’s milk every three hours. Then Piggy feels tired (he isn’t shown in bed until after his charge is gone). But his friends worry enough to show up and help. Very soon—a day and a page later—the hedgehog sleeps through the night and feeds itself. Just a page more and the hedgehog is big, returning to the forest as Piggy wishes it luck. Sweet and subtle." -Kirkus Reviews