Squirrel World

December 1, 2007
Gr 2-4-In this installment in the series, squirrels Lexington and his cousin Lenox venture outside of Central Park in search of the New York City streets for which they are named. They discover a very harsh city quite different from their tree-filled home and, after an adventure in Bloomingdale's, end up being captured for a clothing-store window display, until they are saved by Lexi's guinea pig friend, PeeWee, and the rest of the squirrel relatives. The story, narrated by Lexi, is set in large type, and line drawings are sprinkled throughout, making this a suitable read for children transitioning into chapter books. It is a solid read, but the plot lacks excitement at times. It's likely to resonate most with Manhattan residents or those very familiar with the city since there are many details specific to it. Hurwitz does a good job of filling readers in on what happened in the previous books, so the story can be enjoyed on its own.Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA

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