Nuts - Hardcover

Cook, Kacy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 076145652X ISBN 13: 9780761456520

Publisher: Two Lions, 2010

Synopsis

An eleven-year-old girl cares for two orphaned squirrels

About this title

About the Author

Kacy Cook was born in Columbus, Ohio, the second of six children. Her father was a federal agent, and her mother was an artist and dress designer. Kacy still lives in Columbus and has three grown children. She also has three cats.

Since attending Ohio State University, Kacy has worked in journalism and publishing. In addition, Kacy writes books for young people. Her interest in children’s literature began when she homeschooled her children. This is also when her interest in nature and wildlife began. She is a big fan of squirrels!

Reviews

Grade 3–6—Eleven-year-old Nell and her younger brothers, Jack and Charley, find two baby squirrels that have fallen out of their nest. Nell goes online to research how to care for them, and despite learning that she should take them to a wildlife rehabilitator, she convinces her parents to let the youngsters care for the babies at home, a feat made easier by the fact that they are homeschooled. Using the online advice, Nell is able to raise Mantha and Jess, all the while trying to convince her parents that they should be allowed to keep them as pets. As Nell's lies mount to cover up for the fact that it is illegal to have native wildlife in Ohio without a permit, animals die and people get hurt. The plot is heavy with educational information that slows the pacing and makes it preachy and didactic. Even an afternoon outing at a baseball game with friends turns into a science lesson as the kids discuss what type of animal their team, the Bearcats, represents, making the conversation stilted and forced. Nell's first-person narrative lets readers know what she is thinking, but the rest of the characterization is superficial. Children who are able to stick with the story will gain a new appreciation for the wildlife in their backyards, but most readers won't get that far.—Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY
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Nell, a responsible 11-year-old, rescues an abandoned baby squirrel. With the tentative support of her parents, she cares for the animal, which she and her brothers name Samantha, or “Mantha.” Then Nell rescues a second squirrel, and it soon becomes evident that she intends to keep the animals as pets, despite what she says to her parents and to an online squirrel specialist, who is acting as a long-distance mentor. The situation snowballs until nothing but full disclosure will put things right, for Nell as well as for Mantha. This earnest novel prompts readers to seriously consider animal welfare. The secondary characters provide a platform for the author to explore differing philosophies about respecting nature: Nell’s new friend Russ feels that hunting is a way to be close to the natural world, providing opportunities for readers to respond and discuss. Nell is a well-meaning protagonist who sometimes thinks with her heart, sometimes with her gut, but eventually with her head. Fans of animal stories will most enjoy this debut novel. Grades 5-8. --Kara Dean

Edition details

• Publisher: Two Lions
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 076145652X
• ISBN 13: 9780761456520
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 160