Hedgehogs have fascinated humans since antiquity.

It’s no wonder that this prickly creature still rates as one of our favourite animals. What other animal defies its enemies, not by running away, but by curling itself into a ball?

Of course, this tactic doesn’t always work, particularly if they are on a busy road, but cars weren’t around when they first resorted to this trick.

Although their brain is small compared with other creatures, hedgehogs have been credited with grasping one idea and making it work. Curling themselves up into a ball is their one big idea. Oxford ecologist Hugh Warwick’s book Hedgehog (Reaktion, £9.99) is a delight for anyone of any age who admires the hedgehog.

It explores how this charming little creature has propelled itself into our hearts, not just because of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Sonic the hedgehog or the fact it keeps our gardens free of slugs, but because it’s a wild animal we can connect with.

Warwick begins by asking “What is a hedgehog?”, then highlights historical hedgehogs, literary hedgehogs, philosophical hedgehogs and even artistic hedgehogs.

He sees them as creatures with attitude and points out much to admire in this beautiful, and now threatened, icon of wildlife.