Fiction Wednesday - A review of Squirrel's World

Telling stories that are amusing and interesting, and that are also suitable for beginner readers is not easy. I am always keen to find easy chapter books that actually tell a story, and that have characters that have substance. Today's book is just such a title. Children just beginning to read books with short chapters will be charmed by Squirrel and his friends.

Squirrel’s World

Lisa Moser

Illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev

Fiction

For ages 6 to 8

Candlewick Press, 2007, 978-0-7636-2929-8

   Squirrel is perpetually busy and on the go, and he thinks that it is his duty to help all his friends be busy too. When he finds that Mouse is collecting food to store, Squirrel decides to help. He buries Mouse under a mountain of corn cobs, and he shakes so many apples down from the tree that it is “raining apples.” Poor Mouse has more food now than he could ever eat.

   Down by the pond, Squirrel finds Rabbit. Rabbit very much wants to retrieve one of the lily pads, but he does not like getting wet. Busy and enthusiastic Squirrel decides to help Rabbit. He uses a stick to “wack wack wack that leaf” in an attempt to free it. All he manages to do is to soak Rabbit. Squirrel then decides that they should float a log into the pond and “reach reach reach” for the leaf. Though Squirrel is doing all that he can to be helpful, poor Rabbit ends up getting soaked all over again.

   Squirrel is, without a doubt, a very hyper and rather exhausting fellow to be around, but his intentions are good, and he clearly has a kind heart. Young readers will find it hard not to like this well meaning animal, and they will laugh when they see what he gets up to, and how he drives his friends to distraction.

   This wonderful early reader chapter book is perfect for young children who are eager to start reading ‘real’ books on their own.