I ended up buying a copy of this an I am so so glad I did.

Taylor and Sydney are a wonderful and adorable pair and the story is funny, heartfelt and perfect for KS1

In this early reader chapter book, Sydney the skunk and Taylor the hedgehog work to make Taylor's dream of taking flight a reality. Every page is filled with beautiful, bright, engaging illustrations. This is the perfect fun, cute, funny adventure book for early chapter book readers.

Sydney and Taylor are best friends, but their friendship hits a rocky moment when one friend has a Big Idea, and his best friend doesn't see how it can work. Of course in the end they figure out a way to make it work (after a few bumps along the path), and the Big Idea comes true. I think this is a great series for early elementary, with absolutely gorgeous art and sweet messages that are never overly didactic.

An updated "Frog and Toad" series with characters that are just as lovable! I loved this book and am so excited that it is a series. I know my students will fall in love with the characters and enjoy it for years to come!

Thanks to Clarion Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

First of all, this book is adorable. The illustrations are cute and colorful. The story makes some good points that make it especially well-suited for a classroom or school library read-aloud for 1st or 2nd graders. It reminds kids that it's okay to dream big and that sometimes we need a little help along the way to turning our dreams into reality. It sends a sweet message about finding innovative ways to reach our highest goals.

This is a cute book about a hedgehog who wants to fly. It would be great for a lesson about following your dreams or being a good friend. You could also focus on how hedgehog did not give up even though things didn't work out right away. The illustrations were great as well.

Love this early chapter book about friendship and perseverance. Taylor wants to fly. His only problem - he is a hedgehog! Taylor shares his dream with his friend Sydney, a skunk. Sydney is not very supportive. This book is a great example of how friends might not take your dream seriously at first (because they are worried about your safety), but then come around and help and support. It was also nice to see Taylor never give up and ask for advice and help from various animals. There was also a little twist at the end where Taylor gets to help Sydney! I think this book teaches all sorts of valuable life lessons - friendship disagreements, problem solving, courage, A definite purchase for my elementary library.

This series has a weird combination of realism and fantasy. Sydney and Taylor talk, walk upright, interact with objects, live in a house, play with toys. But they don't talk to or understand people. They're threatened by predators. And they are subject to animal instincts. Easy for a kid to read and follow but not my favorite.

Thank you Netgalley and Clarion Books for access to this arc.

Taylor has Big Ideas – at least one a day says his best friend Sydney. Sydney wishes his friend would wait until after the weekend to have any more of them. That way Sydney could keep daydreaming about tuna sandwiches calling his name. But Taylor is determined to see the rest of the Whole Wide World that he didn’t see on their last adventure and he knows just how to do it. He’ll fly! But hedgehogs can’t fly, Sydney tells him. The birds try to help Taylor, a deer tries to help him, then a bat tries to help him but nothing really works. Well when a friend wants to do something a true friend will help him. And when that friend gets in danger, the first will come up with a another Big Idea to save him.

This is a fabulous book to read out loud. I know because that’s what I did when I read it. After learning in the last book about sticking with a friend and helping him, here the message is about not belittling a friend even if his idea is a little wonky. An idea might, just might, be a little bigger than planned but a true friend will still help achieve it. And get you safely through it. Together. B

Thank you Clarion Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy.

What a wonderful early reader full of vibrant illustrations and strong themes of friendship and ideas.

Remember the Elephant and Piggie story where Piggie decides she will fly and Gerald calmly tells her that pigs do not fly? If you enjoyed that picture book, then wait until you read Sydney's and Taylor's new adventure. Taylor wants to become a flying hedgehog and "finally see the Whole Wide World." When he announces this Big Idea, Sydney laughs "so hard he accidentally squirted some musk" (which is a hazard when your best friend is a skunk). Despite this lack of support from Sydney, Taylor plans to make, find, or borrow some wings. The results are as funny as you would suppose. Going up in a blanket carried by birds, falling from the sky and flattening poor Sydney, even approaching large animals like deer for advice (a very hard thing for a small hedgehog), Taylor tries everything he can think of. Despite all the crashes, he says that what hurts the most is his heart because Sydney has "always helped me with my Big Ideas. Even when they were silly." That changes things for his best friend and he comes up with his own idea of how to make Taylor's idea happen. The illustrations show the range of emotions on the characters' faces - excitement, disbelief, anxiety, frustration, and finally - well earned contentment. The Sydney and Taylor books have so many elements that make them great reads; friendship, pursuing big ideas and dreams, problem-solving, and humor. As a child I loved the Frog and Toad books, and these two friends have many similarities to those classics. If you haven't tried them yet, you need to do so.

Taylor has another big idea that Sydney just wants him to forget about but you can’t ignore just ignore a big idea at least according to Taylor. Well Taylors big idea is that he wants to be the first flying hedgehog but Sydney refuses to help him but does eventually help him because even though the idea is big no idea is too big if you have a friend helping you. This was just so cute and I really loved it. The illustrations are always adorable and the story is always just so cute with Taylor always getting Sydney into messes because he just wants to get out and explore and Sydney just wants stay cozy at home.

Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Groupand Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.

I received an electronic ARC from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group through NetGalley.
Sydney and Taylor are back for more adventures. This time Taylor's newest Big Idea is to fly. He wants to be the first flying hedgehog. Sydney discourages this but is still there to rescue Taylor when he falls. Just when Taylor is about to give up, Sydney figures out a way to make him fly. They work together and Taylor gets to see the Whole Wide World before an unexpected landing in a tree. Together, they save each other from a surprise visitor and return to their burrow for some quiet rest.
Davies has crafted a delightful second book about these two and pulls readers in to go with them on their adventure. Readers see how friendship works and isn't always smooth and sunny. However, even when they disagree, friends still love and protect each other. Simple to follow text allows lower and mid-elementary level readers to enjoy this by themselves or with a group. The illustration details flesh out the story. Looking forward to their next adventure.

I thought this was the first book in the series by Jaqueline Davies which was on my TBR List, but this is the second. I have now read both, and they are absolutely adorable. Kids are doing to adore this short, beginning chapter book series about a hedgehog and a skunk who go on adventures. Even without reading the first one, I was able to jump into the book and understand it. The characters are so sweet and supportive, and the pictures are amazing as well. Sure to be a popular checkout in the elementary library in grades 1-4.

Sydney is a skunk and his good friend, Taylor, is a hedgehog with Big Ideas. His latest Big Idea is a strong desire to fly. Sydney has always supported Taylor's Big Ideas but he is not sure about this one. He just can't imagine a flying hedgehog. Birds and a bat try to help but can a timid, round ball of a hedgehog ever really fly? Maybe - with a bit of luck, some ingenuity, and - of course - the help of good friends. Bottom line - keep on dreaming and pursuing your big ideas!
Parents, teachers, and librarians are always on the lookout for books to give to kids that are transitioning from early readers to chapter books. This series is a great choice. Though you might want to have some tuna fish sandwiches nearby.
Thanks to Net Galley for the eARC. #SydneyandTaylorTakeaFlyingLeap #NetGalley

This is such a sweet chapter book for kids dipping their feet into longer books. I loved Sydney and Taylor and the friendship and kindness within the story. Definitely recommend for budding readers!

This book is super cute and super funny. Great for beginners when it comes to chapter books. Will grab a child’s attention in a heartbeat. Well done!

I had so much fun joining Sydney and Taylor on this journey! Whether you're like Taylor and always have a big idea, or you're more like Sydney who knows hedgehogs can't fly, you will enjoy relating to these fun woodland characters who remind us that no matter how crazy the idea is, If we have faith in our friends, together we can soar! This is the perfect beginning chapter book to hook the reluctant or timid readers in my classroom.

I am always on the look out for early chapter books to engage my beginning readers and this series has it all. A cast of engaging, funny animals friends, laugh-out-loud adventures, and captivating illustrations. Sydney and Taylor already have a fan following and I know readers are going to be delighted to join these two friends on their next adventure.

Perfect for grades 1-3 for all levels of readers.

A great second book in a sweet and kind beginning chapter book series. I love the illustrations and how the story all ties together through it's little details. My six year old loved this book as a bedtime read together.