It's Springtime, Mr. Squirrel (1) - Hardcover

Meschenmoser, Sebastian

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0735843104 ISBN 13: 9780735843103

Publisher: NorthSouth Books, 2018

Synopsis

It’s springtime and bees, flowers, and love are in the air!

When Mr. Squirrel’s friend, the hedgehog, catches sight of an attractive lady hedgehog, he isn’t sure what to do to win her heart. What a stroke of luck that he has a friend like Mr. Squirrel, who can help him.

Mr. Squirrel knows all about love, and what ladies like. Lady hedgehogs like heroes! But can Mr. Squirrel and the hedgehog conquer the most dangerous animal in the forest?

 
 

About this title

About the Author

Sebastian Meschenmoser was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1980. He studied fine arts in Mainz, Germany. His illustrations were chosen from more than 2,700 entries and presented at the Children’s Book Fair in Bologna in recognition of him being one of the most innovative new illustrators. As an accomplished artist with several exhibitions to his name, Sebastian Meschenmoser is among Germany’s most successful and admired young illustrators for children.

Reviews

K-Gr 2—Mr. Squirrel, Hedgehog, and Bear are back in Meschenmoser's latest delightful picture book installment. Here, spring has sprung and Bear shouts to his friends, 'Let's lie in the sun, stroll through the meadows, and fill our tummies with fine food!'" Mr. Squirrel enthusiastically digs in but Hedgehog has lost his appetite. "He had been down at the pond…And there he had seen…a lovely lady hedgehog." His first instinct is to flee, but Mr. Squirrel suggests that the best way to win the heart of a lady hedgehog is to show everyone how brave and strong you are. Next, a series of wordless panels depict Mr. Squirrel's efforts to make Hedgehog look fierce. Readers will laugh out loud as the sweet, befuddled creature only ends up looking sillier and sillier. Then they set off to find "a suitable opponent." The intrepid duo, lead by Mr. Squirrel of course, head off into the woods to stalk and frighten off some mice, birds, and rabbits. Not satisfied, they decide they need a more imposing opponent. Who better than Bear! After Bear falls asleep, a reluctant Hedgehog, holding a simple bouquet of daffodils, is pushed by Mr. Squirrel into approaching the lady hedgehog by the pond—only to discover that she's just an old hairbrush. The illustrations tell much of the story and provide hints into the characters' personalities; the artist expertly depicts the animals' emotions in their expressions and posture. The pacing is spot-on with page turns alternating between text and wordless spreads. VERDICT This gem of a story is packed with humor and emotion. Meschenmoser's utterly charming pencil illustrations are sparingly drawn, yet loaded with oodles of details for readers to pore over again and again.—Megan Kilgallen, Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn

Edition details

• Publisher: NorthSouth Books
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 0735843104
• ISBN 13: 9780735843103
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 64