Merry Christmas, Squirrels!

In Rose's photographic follow-up to The Secret Life of Squirrels (2014), Mr. Peanuts visits his Cousin Squirrel for Christmas. Mr. Peanuts's preparations for the trip include packing his tiny sweaters (handmade by Rose along with many other details in the miniature sets in which she photographs the squirrels) and clearing a path with a tiny snowblower. After he arrives, the two go snowshoeing, build a snowman, roast chestnuts over a campfire, and exchange gifts indoors on Christmas (peanuts, naturally). The story line is straightforward, and some of the images are sharper than others, but the whimsical details of the world Rose has created for her squirrels (a gingerbread train, nut-themed picture books for them to read before a roaring fire) are as amusing as in the previous book. Six gift tags are included. Ages 3-6. Agent: Jackie Kaiser, Westwood Creative Artists. (Oct.)

PreS-Gr 1--When Mr. Peanuts the squirrel receives an invitation to visit for Christmas from his cousin, he immediately packs his suitcase with plenty of hand-knitted Christmas sweaters, hops in his convertible, and zooms through the snow to Cousin Squirrel's house. The two squirrels enjoy a hazelnut latte, go sledding, and open presents--peanuts, of course. What raises this book above the pedestrian are the more than 25 carefully composed photographs, depicting real squirrels and tiny, squirrel-size props, many of them hand-made (teeny knit sweaters, teeny snowshoes made of twigs). VERDICT The sharply focused, detailed photos of a frisky-tailed, big-eyed squirrel nosing curiously about adorably small objects will captivate kids, even if the text is nothing special.--Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library