Review by Booklist Review
PreS-K. Earl is a young squirrel who has become dependent on the kindness of a girl who lives nearby. Instructed by his mother to hunt for acorns, he goes to visit his human friend and returns with an acorn--and a nutcracker. Chided at home, Earl soon ventures out on his own, wearing a red scarf his friend has knitted. His quest for nuts turns into a contest with a bull, but he succeeds in spectacular fashion. It's only natural that this picture book has a certain vintage tone and look. Its author-illustrator is the same Don Freeman (1908-1978) whose best picture books, such as Beady Bear and Corduroy, appeared in the 1950s and 1960s. The scratchboard artwork, particularly effective in the night scenes, pictures Earl's adventures in black and white with one colorful element: the scarlet scarf. Published for the first time,\b this picture book will please those who enjoy the innocent air and now-retro look of Freeman's work. --Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2005 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Never before published, this breezy, droll tale from the creator of Corduroy focuses on a rite of passage for an ingenuous young squirrel. When Earl's mother announces, "It is high time you went out and learned how to find acorns on your own," the carefree fellow instead pays a visit to his friend, a girl named Jill, who gives him an acornAand a nutcracker to open it. Earl's indignant mother says, in what becomes a refrain, "Earl, come in here this instant. I want to speak to you!" She admonishes her offspring for being spoiled and insists he return the nutcracker. Jill then gives Earl another presentAa red scarf she made for her doll. After another rebuke from his mother, Earl fashions a sack from his scarf and goes in search of acorns. Freeman uses his signature scratchboard style, with fine tooling in black and white that plays up both the red scarf (the only additional color, which underscores the item's pivotal role in the tale) and the jet-black night into which Earl ventures on his quest. The Great Horned Owl and Conrad the bull act as key players in Earl's mission, and the comical, nearly calamitous string of events leaves the lucky squirrel with plenty of acorns to make his mother proud. Freeman serves up some laugh-out-loud images, as well as some affecting ones, in a tale well worthy of publication at last. Ages 4-up. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Earl, a young squirrel, learns about responsibility and resourcefulness in Don Freeman's delightful tale (Viking, 2005). Earl's mother wants him to learn how to hunt for acorns, rather than relying on his human friend, Jill. His mother believes he is being spoiled, especially after Jill gives him a scarlet scarf. Earl is determined to make his mother proud, and with the help of his multi-purpose scarf, he returns home with acorns. The whimsical music and excellent sound effects bring Earl and the other characters to life. J. J. Myers' narration is spot-on, providing a squeaky young voice for Earl and a scolding tone for his mother. One track contains page-turn signals. The red scarf is the only element of color in Freeman's black-and-white scratchboard illustrations. An excellent choice for story time and for the classroom.-Sarah Flood, Breckinridge County Public Library, Hardinsburg, KY (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
(Primary) In a never-before-published story from the author of Corduroy, a little squirrel gets an assignment from his mother to find acorns on his own, but like teddy bear Corduroy he gets some assistance from a little girl. Squirrel Earl consults Jill, who gives him an acorn (along with a nutcracker) and then a scarlet scarf, the one splash of color in this black-and-white scratchboard book. The red scarf is useful for carrying things but is dangerous as well when Earl looks for acorns in a meadow that a bull calls home. The simple pictures focus on Earl with his jaunty scarf and equally jaunty tail, conveying his determination, fear, frustration, and triumph as he succeeds at last. Earl proves a plucky yet scrupulously polite little squirrel (""Thank you, Mister Bull!"") in this gently amusing tale. (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.
