I loved this book because of the plot, the characters, and the language depicted in the story. Earl the Squirrel's mother wants Earl to start finding his own acorns and start acting like a real squirrel. Earl has a young, human friend named Jill who gives him gifts, like nutcrackers or even scarfs. I believe the big idea/ message of this story is having responsibility because Earl has to learn how to find his own acorns. I loved the plot because it is very cute and clever, perfect for young readers. It centers around a young squirrel and his everyday life trying to find acorns. This leads into the characters of the story. I loved that the characters involved mostly all animals and their own lives. There are squirrels, owls, and even bulls, all with their own first names.The language in this story was very descriptive and patterned. Every single time Earl would come back home with a gift from Jill his mother would yell, "Earl, come in here this instant! I want to speak to you!". Also, the language in this story was very descriptive in how it accurately depicted the different animals. "Quick as a flash, Earl reached down and snatched his scarf", "Whoooo did you think lived here?" hooted the Great Horned Owl loudly." ( )

I laughed out loud and so did my 14 yo son. I can't imagine why it wasn't published back when every lucky child knew Corduroy. My son especially wanted me to say the artwork is special. ( )

I liked reading the book "Earl the Squirrel" by Don Freeman. The language in the book is patterned because as Earl goes to different people and animals to get the acorns he needs to bring back home, the language correlates with his sequence of talking with Jill, the owl, and the bull. Don Freeman illustrates in a black and white scratchboard art style which is fun and engaging to follow with the story. The color red is tied in with the black and white scratchboard style, which signifies adventure in the story and excitement. Don Freeman does a great job illustrating the pictures to accurately describe what is going on in the text. The book is nonfiction and can be clearly classified as such because the characters who are mostly animals are able to speak in the story. The characters are engaging and believable and also appealing to young children. The main idea of the book is for children to learn to be independent, and they will be rewarded if they work hard for what they want. ( )

Fans of the children's classic Corduroy will adore Earl the Squirrel. Little Earl is growing up, but his mother is worried that his friend Jill has spoiled him with gifts. Earl makes up his mind to set out on his own to prove to his mother that he can find acorns on his own. Along the way Earl must confront challenges including the mighty bull Conrad. Earl outwits the beast and ultimately is rewarded with a bountiful harvest of acorns.

Published posthumously, Don Freeman's signature style and ability to capture childhood are timeless. Freeman's black-and-white scratchboard illustrations with splashes of red color here and there are eye-catching as well. A true classic. Highly recommended Fall reading for children in preschool through grade 3.

Review first appeared in the Mini Book Bytes Blog: http://minibookbytes.blogspot.com/ ( )