Squirrel's Fun Day (Candlewick Readers)

Well-intentioned, overzealous Squirrel embarks on further misadventures with his friends in this follow-up to Squirrel's World (2007). Squirrel's hyperkinetic movements and chatter power this early reader's four chapters: "Got to go. Got to go. Got to go, go, go!" he chimes as he zips off to find fun. When Mouse tells him that she's too busy sweeping out her tree stump to have fun, he makes a mess trying to help her with his bushy tail ("Sweep, sweep, sweep!"); she then agrees to join his search for fun, only to get stuck in the mud. Squirrel's stab at building a bridge across a pond with Turtle also has muddy results, and his attempt to help Rabbit leave a trail of pebbles to guide him home backfires. Gorbachev's earth-toned ink-and-watercolor illustrations amplify the story's buoyant humor and highlight the animals' personalities, from Squirrel's exuberance to Rabbit's cautiousness. Ample art and Squirrel's playfully repetitious speech tailor the story to emerging readers. True to life, there are some bumps in the road, but the feel-good ending cements this quartet's friendship. Ages 5-7. (June)

Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

K-Gr 2--Beginning readers will enjoy spending the day with "busy, busy, busy" Squirrel. Although Mouse intends to clean her nest, she sets off with Squirrel after he "sweeps, sweeps, sweeps" her nesting materials and food. As they are playing, she falls into a mud hole and Squirrel rescues her with a long blade of grass. He engages Turtle in a race around the pond, but becomes frustrated with Turtle's slow pace. Squirrel is surprised to discover that Turtle can swim faster than he can run. Next, he coaxes Rabbit to have "fun, fun, fun" on the way to the tree where he always eats lunch. Rabbit insists on leaving a pebble trail so he can find his way home, but his plan doesn't work this time. Later Squirrel picks flowers to present to his friends as a gesture of thanks for their company, but when they are nowhere to be found, he wonders if they may not have enjoyed the day's activities as much as he did. Readers will enjoy the surprise awaiting him. Squirrel's repetitive speech patterns reinforce his character and give newer readers some relief decoding this fun-filled drama. The expressive pen-and-watercolor illustrations in varied layouts are perfectly placed with the text. A great, great, great addition to delight fans of Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad Are Friends (HarperCollins, 1970) and Wong Herbert Yee's Upstairs Mouse, Downstairs Mole (Houghton Mifflin, 2005).--Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Lovable characters, accessible text, and fresh, spirited illustrations combine nicely here to create a story even the most reluctant readers are sure to enjoy.
—Kirkus Reviews

Gorbachev's earth-toned ink-and-watercolor illustrations amplify the story's buoyant humor and highlight the animals' personalities... Ample art and Squirrel's playfully repetitious speech tailor the story to emerging readers. True to life, there are some bumps in the road, but the feel-good ending cements this quartet's friendship.
—Publishers Weekly

Squirrel's repetitive speech patterns reinforce his character and give newer readers some relief decoding this fun-filled drama. The expressive pen-and-watercolor illustrations in varied layouts are perfectly placed with the text. A great, great, great addition to delight fans of Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad Are Friends (HarperCollins, 1970) and Wong Herbert Yee's Upstairs Mouse, Downstairs Mole (Houghton Mifflin, 2005).
—School Library Journal

...capture[s] the pleasures of a hectic, productive day and the exhilarating, if sometimes fraught, process of winning friends.
—The Wall Street Journal