Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-An appealing tale with an important message about safety. Filbert, an energetic gray squirrel wearing a red sweater and green beret, has several close calls because he forgets to look both ways before going into the street. After he survives a particularly harrowing dodge during which "Tires turn!/Rubber burns!" and "Fenders bend," he finally and tearfully gets the message. The fast pace and simple rhyme scheme of the narrative will quickly engage young readers. Rendered in ink and watercolor, the illustrations use warm autumn hues to depict adorable animal characters. The squirrels are clothed in quaint costumes that give a nostalgic tone to the pictures. Weidner does a good job of juxtaposing the enormity of the vehicles on the streets with the fragility of little Filbert. This story could be used both to entertain and to teach.-Corrina Austin, Locke's Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Squirrel Filbert keeps forgetting to look both ways when he crosses the street--until a close call with some cars sends him and his acorns flying. The mixed-media art is too cute, and the story, told in cuter-still rhyme, presents its safety lesson confusingly. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
If there is one thing every squirrel ought to have etched into its DNA by now, it's the wisdom of looking both ways. But Filbert is a high-octane young squirrel with his eye on the prize of the moment, be it a goal in soccer or going to Grandma's house for some acorns for dinner. This means he doesn't stop to consider the cat down the street or all those cars in the road--doesn't stop to "look . . . both . . . ways." By sheer luck, he makes it past the cat, the bikes and the cars enroute to Grandma's, but things go differently on the way back, as he barely evades the cat--"Thump! On a rooftop. / Squish! through a hole. / Wiggle-jiggle jump! / down a telephone pole"--before running afoul of traffic. With honking, screeching cars surrounding him, Filbert gets an object lesson in safety made palatable by Weidner's soft-toned pen, ink and watercolor art that often emphasizes Filbert's tiny size in the great big world. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
