by Lynne Rae Perkins (Author) Lynne Rae Perkins (Illustrator)
How far would you go for a friend? In Nuts to You, the funny and moving illustrated novel by Newbery Medalist Lynne Rae Perkins, two squirrels go very far indeed to save a friend who has been snatched up by a hawk. Nuts to You "begs to be read aloud . . . another completely original and exceptional package from Perkins," said the Horn Book. Nuts to You features black-and-white art by the author on every page, as well as exclusive material original to this edition.
Jed, TsTs, and Chai are the very best of friends. So when Jed is snatched up by a hawk and carried away to another realm, TsTs and Chai resolve to go after him. Mysteriously, the hawk has dropped him. They saw it. Jed could be alive. New communities are discovered, new friends are made, huge danger is encountered (both man-made and of the fox and bobcat variety) and the mysteries of squirrel culture are revealed. Nuts to You is wholly original, funny, lively, and thought-provoking. Publishers Weekly said, "Readers . . . will relish the squirrels' adventures, as well as Perkins's laugh-aloud illustrations and equally witty footnotes."
Includes an introduction, epilogue, and footnotes throughout, as well as original exclusive material from the author.
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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.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.