The Last Hazelnut
by Susanna Isern (Author) Mariana Ruiz Johnson (Illustrator)
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K-Gr 2--Tim, a natty blue squirrel in yellow boots, and Teo, an orange rabbit with superb pattern-mixing skills, share a bowl of hazelnuts that Tim has collected. Small vignettes show time passing as the friends happily converse and the number of nuts in the bowl steadily decreases by two. One nut is left, two hands reach into the bowl--it's empty! Both friends erupt with anger, accusing the other of selfishness and stomping home in a fit of rage. Both are sleepless overnight, fixating on the perceived betrayal. Readers will wonder what actually happened to the last hazelnut, and will want to go back and look for clues in the illustrations. Is one of the friends lying? The next day, Tim and Teo each reflect in nature and realize that their friendship is worth more than a single hazelnut. They reunite, apologize, and sit down with another bowl of hazelnuts. This time when the moment of truth arrives, they decide to split the last nut--just as a bird swoops in and takes it, which possibly solves the original mystery. Johnson's illustrations are rendered primarily in earth tones, with lots of equally stylish secondary characters going about their business in the background and an abundance of lush, colorful plant life. Readers will pore over this fully realized world. VERDICT While stories about conflict and sharing abound, this snazzy offering feels fresh. A solid purchase for libraries.--Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Lib., MN
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Susanna Isern (La Seu d'Urgell, Spain, 1978) is an award-winning children's books author. She is also a professor of Psychology of learning at the European University of the Atlantic and directs the Cabinet of Psychology at Aula Dédalo in Santander. Since she published her first picture book in 2011, more than 30 children's books have seen the light of day. Most of her works are sold internationally and can be found in more than a dozen languages, and also written in Braille. Among her most popular albums we find What Are You Scared of, Little Mouse? awarded Silver Medal in the USA Moonbeam Children's Books Award 2015 and The Magic Ball of Wool, awarded Silver Medal at the USA Moonbeam Children's Book Awards 2013.
Spanish illustrator Ester García was born in Cáceres in 1984. For as long as she can remember, she has always loved tales and children's books. After graduating in Fine Arts at the University of Salamanca, she moved to Madrid to continue her studies of Design at the New Technologies Professional Centre (CICE). She has also taken part in several illustration courses and workshops. Ester paints mostly with pencil, watercolors, and acrylics. Her works have been awarded in competitions such as the Sharjah Exhibition for Children's Books Illustrations (United Arab Emirates), the Encontro Internacional de Ilustraçao de S. Joao de Madeira (Portugal), the Junceda illustration award in the International category (Spain), or the Cuatrogatos Foundation (Miami) award. She currently resides and works in Asturias drawing animals, forests, and other real or fictional places.
Animals
Best friends
Conflict (Psychology)
