Nuts to you / Lynne Rae Perkins.

No, wait--how about this: Two squirrels trudged wearily along. They were already far from home. They were headed even farther. Darkness settled around them and made it hard to move. Still, they kept on.

That is so gloomy. Does it have to be so gloomy

Okay, how about:

"Danger" said the squirrel.

"Ha! I laugh at danger."

You didn't make that up. Someone else made that up.

Okay. You start it, then.

What's the story It depends on who you ask.

Reviews (5)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 3-7-This pleasing gambol into the surprisingly charming realm of squirrel life follows plucky Jed, TsTs, and Chai as they journey to and from the realm of reddish, smallish squirrels. Their peaceful existence is disrupted first by a hawk, then a tenacious wolf, and finally by humans and their noisy machines. Perkins's lyrical use of language and subtle explanations of concepts, idioms, and everyday words is as enjoyable as her story of friendship, perseverance, acceptance, and the value of community. Perkins's footnotes are equally charming ("Enemy is such a strong word. It might be more sporting to say 'adversary' or 'the other team.' Sometimes the thing to do is to invite your adversary for cake and lemonade and see if they can become your friend. It can save a whole lot of grief later on."). Jessica Almasy's narration is perfect. Her voice varies between characters-human and woodland-with a timbre that is just squirrely enough to be believable but not nearly so squeaky to be tiresome. VERDICT This beautifully written work has value as an enjoyable adventure story and as a model of exemplary composition.-Jane Newschwander, Fluvanna County Public Schools, VA © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publisher's Weekly Review

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.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Horn Book Review

Part adventure, part fable, part satire, and all furious fun, Nuts to You tells the wacky story of a trio of industrious young squirrels saving their respective colonies from the impending danger of human deforestation. In a playful narrative that bounds about like its venturous protagonists, Perkins delights in bodacious wordplay and whimsy. Almasy dives into the narration with gusto. Whats lost in the absence of Perkinss quirky, digressive illustrations is made up for in Almasys all-in, over-the-top performance. Making the most of the sensory descriptions, comical dialogue, and tangled action, she maximizes this classic-feeling animal fantasys considerable entertainments and adds weight to the deeper environmental message. thom barthelmess (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Review

The gray squirrel Jed's human acquaintance relates this entertaining story of friendship and adventure, beginning with Jed's narrow escape from a hawk and then continuing with a series of tail-raising escapades.An introductory author's note and endnote frame the story as a tale told by the squirrel to the writer. After the hawk snatches Jed, most of his squirrel community gathers for a memorial service. However, his friends TsTs and Chai, sure Jed is alive, bravely follow a trail of "buzzpaths" and "frozen spiderwebs"utility lines and towersto find him. The narrator frequently weaves tidbits of natural science, ecology and philosophy, as well as notes about human behavior, into each short, action-packed chapter. Humorous footnotes and direct addresses add to the fun, as in: "To squirrels, Are you nuts?' is a combination of Have you lost your mind?' and You remind me of the most wonderful thing I can think of.' " Adult readers will recognize traces of Watership Down, Beatrix Potter and even the work of cartoonist Gary Larson, but who knew until this book that red squirrels speak with cockney accents? (Or, more realistically, that squirrel homes are called "dreys"?) Strong characterizations carry readers through the episodic adventure. With its unswerving inclusion of predators, habitat destruction and territorial conflict, this novel could have grown dark; instead, it is funny and exuberant. (Fantasy. 7-11) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

*Starred Review* This efficient and effective metaparable by Newbery medalist Perkins has a central message that is explicitly stated when a squirrel announces to the narrator that I just wish . . . humans understood how important trees are. The story begins when a squirrel named Jed is carried away by a hawk and yet cleverly finds a way to elude certain fatality, at which point the reader is directly addressed: Do we feel sorry for the hawk, who has just lost his supper . . . and is taught a hard truth? Fortunately, a fellow squirrel witnesses Jed's escape from afar and leads a search team through the forest to find him and bring him home, a journey that involves danger, humor, adventure, environmentalism, and friends both old and new. The squirrel POV includes clever wordplay: power lines are buzzpaths, for example. Rustic spot and full-page line drawings (not all seen at time of review) and the many asides and footnotes further enhance the gentle, smoothly literary narrative. Perkins clearly respects both her text and her reader while deftly managing many moving parts within a relatively small space, even at one point acknowledging that there are indeed a lot of squirrels involved here. All together, this is a lovely and insightful creation.--Medlar, Andrew Copyright 2014 Booklist

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