Squirrels Leap, Squirrels Sleep

PreS-Gr 2—Sayre introduces four types of squirrels in this rhyming nonfiction picture book. The gray squirrel, the fox squirrel, the red squirrel, and the flying squirrel zigzag across the branches and the book's pages. "Nose for sniffing./Jaws to chew./Eyes for looking/back at you." The pictures illustrate the creatures exploring their world, sniffing at flowers, chomping on acorns or seeds, and pausing at the creek to drink. Squirrels can hide under their tails, using them as umbrellas, when it rains. They also use their tails for balance or even as a flag. They have "paws for climbing./Paws to pick./Paws for cleaning./Paws run. Quick!" While there is a smattering of information in the main text, the bulk of facts are located in the back matter. Topics there include "Tails as Tools," "Early Life," "Feeding Times," and "Squirrels: The Planters." Children doing reports will learn about what the rodents eat, where they live, what scientific family and order they belong to, and how they contribute to the ecosystem. Jenkins's artwork is done with ink and cut- and torn-paper collage, produced in such a way that the pictures appear realistic and almost totally hand-drawn. Each page has merely four lines of text or so, with the rest of the layout reserved for the brilliant artwork. VERDICT A fine introductory and informational book that would be equally at home in picture book and nonfiction collections.—Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA

The team behind Woodpecker Wham!, Eat Like a Bear, and other animal-centric books returns to study the ubiquitous, always-on-the-move squirrel. Both contributors are at the top of their game, capturing the habits, characteristics, and energy of squirrels in meticulous rhymes ("Meet the squirrels./ Gray. Fox. Red./ Flying squirrel/ overhead") and equally precise paper collages. Brushy, textured papers readily evoke the squirrels' soft fur, their grassy environs, and animals they coexist with; a beaver with matted fur hogs the foreground of one scene, while a bird of prey soars menacingly in another: "Paws for climbing./ Paws to pick./ Paws for cleaning./ Paws run. Quick!" In addition to paws, Sayre touches on how squirrels use their tails and other body parts, the gathering and storing of acorns, and behaviors many readers will have witnessed, such as rapid chases around tree trunks. A closing section thoroughly explores details about squirrels alluded to in the verse, and a closing image of a squirrel curled up in a nest might just help calm children who are feeling a bit squirrelly themselves. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Emily Mitchell, Wernick & Pratt. (Nov.)

"Both contributors are at the top of their game, capturing the habits, characteristics, and energy of squirrels in meticulous rhymes ( Meet the squirrels./ Gray. Fox. Red./ Flying squirrel/ overhead ) and equally precise paper collages." Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Apt verse and appealing visuals provide young naturalists with a springboard for discussion and further discovery." Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Woodpecker Wham!

"Lovely and exciting, this title is a great hook for young researchers, as well as fledgling ornithologists." School Library Journal, starred review

Praise for Eat Like a Bear

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students Pick
ASLC Notable Children's Book Pick