Nuts to You

by Lynne Rae Perkins (Author) Lynne Rae Perkins (Illustrator)

Nuts to You
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
After surviving being carried off by a hawk, a young squirrel resolves to find his way home, as his best friends begin their search for him.
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School Library Journal

Starred Review

Gr 3-6--As explained in an Author's Note at the start, Perkins was told this tale by a talking squirrel whom she met while enjoying a peanut butter sandwich on a park bench. When a squirrel is captured by a hawk and flown off to an uncertain fate, two of his friends set off in pursuit. Partway through their rescue mission, they encounter humans who are trimming trees which have grown around the power lines (the squirrels call these "buzzpaths"). Now they must not only bring their friend home, but also warn all the squirrels in the vicinity to flee from the impending depredation of swaths of their forest. Part of the tension and humor stems from the ways in which the motivations of humans and squirrels are inexplicable to each other. Perkins elucidates delightfully, as when she tells readers that "'TsTs' is currently the most frequently given girl squirrel name, the 'Emma' of squirrel names." This is a small story made larger by the ways readers can enjoy Perkins's whimsical conception of squirrel civilization. Some deeper themes may prompt readers to question their interactions with the natural world. The author's light touch is maintained by her profuse spot and full-page illustrations throughout.--Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Library, NY

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

Newberry Medalist Perkins (Criss Cross) writes a clever, off-kilter story of community support in this tall tale featuring three courageous squirrels. A crisis occurs when gray squirrel Jed is swept up by a hawk. Jed's friends Chai and TsTs (it's "the 'Emma' of squirrel names," Perkins explains) rush to find where he's (safely) landed, but they're soon distracted by impending danger: humans trimming trees around "buzzpaths" (power lines) pose a threat to their habitat. Somehow, TsTs, Chai, and Jed (who eventually meets up with his pals after having a few adventures of his own) must persuade their friends and neighbors to relocate somewhere safer, not an easy task given the nature of squirrels ("Getting squirrels to listen to reason is like getting a tree to drop its nuts at your front door," admits one). Perkins's twisting-turning narrative provides plenty of fun; along with their impulsiveness, her characters have warm hearts and generous spirits. Readers, especially animal lovers and the environmentally minded, will relish the squirrels' adventures, as well as Perkins's laugh-aloud illustrations (not all seen by PW) and equally witty footnotes. Ages 8-12. (Aug.)

Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Safe, accessible and laced with gentle philosophizing, this has an edge of poetry that gives it colourful tone and texture."—Toronto Star
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780060092771
Lexile Measure
560
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Greenwillow Books
Publication date
May 03, 2016
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV001010 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure | Survival Stories
JUV002230 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Squirrels
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
Adventure and adventurers
Survival
Squirrels
Forests and forestry
Cybils
Finalist 2014 - 2014
Kentucky Bluegrass Award
Nominee 2016 - 2016
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award
Nominee 2016 - 2016
Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens
Recommended 2015 - 2015

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