The Squirrels Who Squabbled

June 1, 2019
A race to the final pine cone leads to a great friendship. "Spontaneous Cyril" lives in "the now and the here," but as winter approaches, his cupboards are bare. When he spots a pine cone with the last nuts of the season, he sprints for it. But so does "Plan-Ahead Bruce," and so the "wild, nutty" race begins. Of course, the pine cone falls. It "boing[s] over bushes...bing[s] on the nose of a slumbering bear," and "bounce[s] over boulders" before coming to a stop, poised on the edge of a cliff. After close encounters with a pine cone-stealing bird and a waterfall, is it possible that "their nutty young hopes [might] simply end in despair?" Luckily, Cyril pulls Bruce to safety. "Bruised and bedraggled" both, Bruce and Cyril look at each other and burst into giggles over how silly they've been and declare a lasting friendship. Energetic word choices and funny, exciting illustrations make this a great read all the way to the clear, satisfying moral. While it's debatable if "Cyril" and "squirrel" rhyme, the rest of the text definitely does, and it has a natural meter. Descriptive, often alliterative verb choices add to the fun. Richly colored artwork in a lively mix of compositions and perspectives captures the action of the bouncing pine cone and the squirrels' wild water ride. Low contrast between text and background on a few pages makes prereading a must before a read-aloud. A wild, rewarding ride. (Picture book. 3-6)

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November 22, 2019

PreS-Gr 2-In this seasonal rhyming book, readers are introduced to two frenzied but vastly different squirrels, "Spontaneous Cyril" and "Plan Ahead Bruce," who both have their eye on the last pine cone of fall. Cyril has stored nothing for the winter as he has spent the year partying. By contrast, Bruce has a gigantic cache of food but believes that he needs just one more pine cone. As these two race for the prize, the pine cone ricochets through the forest, eventually falling off a huge cliff into the river, where a bird grabs it. The two squirrels tumble down a waterfall, with Cyril dragging Bruce to safety once they surface in the river below. Bruce starts laughing over their ridiculous antics, and both realize that "the BEST thing to share is a laugh with your friend." This is the third rhyming book from the talented author/illustrator duo. The rhymes and the artwork are perfectly paired. Clever prose propels the story and is delightful to read aloud. The autumnal palette captures the beauty of the woods, as well as the squirrels' zany activities. VERDICT A wonderful new addition to the trove of great fall stories.-Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, CA

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