The Magic Ball of Wool    by Susanna Isern & Nora Hilb Order:  USA  Can Cuento de Luz, 2013 (2013) Hardcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Bob Walch This is the tale of how a magical ball of blue wool changes the lives of a group of forest friends. A hedgehog wakes up one morning to discover a large ball of wool caught in his prickles. His friend, a spider, suggests the hedgehog try kitting something with the wool. Then something miraculous happens. Each item the little hedgehog knits magically turns into something the person would really like to have. For example, the tiny sweater the mouse asked for is transformed into a big ball of cheese and the bear's balaclava becomes a shell that emits sounds of the sea. Soon all the wool is gone. Just when this happens, the hedgehog learns that a huge blue whale is beached nearby and needs a strong, long rope that can be used to pull him back to the sea. What will the hedgehog do now? When all the other animals learn of the whale's plight they come up with a solution that will allow the hedgehog to work his magic. All ends well as the whale is saved and forest folks discover working together for a common good is a very fine thing to do. Nicely illustrated, this picture book reinforces the importance of friendship, generosity and kindness. Hopefully it will also encourage the young reader to help others whenever the need arises. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews