Squirrels on Skis

A goofy rhyming story about a bunch of skiing squirrels is the newest offering in Random House’s Beginner Books series. When her town is overrun by hordes of ski-crazed squirrels, young reporter Sally Sue Breeze must find a solution before the mayor follows through on his threat to vacuum up the disruptive intruders. The hilarious illustrations are filled with action, just the sort of energy that very new readers love, especially new readers who have been raised on funny videos of cats in boxes and yes, waterskiing squirrels. However, the text is likely to trip up the same readers, as the rhythm is occasionally uneven and some of the words are quite challenging. Some words can be broken down syllabically (protested and arrested), but the meaning is likely to be lost on four- to six-year-olds. Other words, like chalet and reaction, will simply frustrate them. The plot is just silly enough to elicit giggles, but the real laughs will come from the art. A chubby military guy, dressed in red, with a huge squirrel vacuum? A giant acorn roast to lure the starving squirrels away from the town? A whole page full of skiing squirrels bedecked in scarves and earmuffs? Squirrels disrupting church and traffic? Though the text and plot might be a bit much for the newest readers, the art will help make the challenge a lot more palatable. robin l. smith