1 Mother Nature Takes a Walk Sam Squirrel and his brothers, Simon and Soot, were sitting at the breakfast table waiting for their acorn porridge when a voice called from outside their window. "Hello up there. Toodle-doo!" It wasn't the squeaky voice of Mr. Chipmunk, who lived in the tree next door. And it wasn't the shrill voice of Lady Robin, who nested three branches above the Squirrel family. This voice was gentle, like a breeze. "Who could that be?" Sam asked. He was the youngest of the three squirrel kits, and by far the most curious. "Is it a badger?" Simon asked. "I bet I could wrestle a badger." He was the oldest of the kits, and by far the largest. "IS IT A FROG?" Soot asked. Soot was the middle kit, and by far the loudest. "IF I KISS THE FROG, WILL IT TURN INTO A PRINCE?" Because they were still very young, Sam and his brothers had spent most of their first winter sleeping in their nest, so they hadn't met many other critters. But they had been told many bedtime stories. "The visitor is not a badger, so please don't wrestle her," Mama Squirrel said with a laugh. "And she's not a frog, but you can give her a kiss, if you'd like, because she loves all the critters of the Quiet Woods." Papa Squirrel, who had been stirring the acorn porridge, took the pot off the stove and wiped his paws on his apron. "Today is the first day of spring, which is a very important day here in the Quiet Woods. And on the first day of spring, someone very special always pays us a visit." Both Papa Squirrel and Mama Squirrel shared a smile. Then Papa Squirrel untied his apron and plopped his cap onto his head. "Scurry outside, boys. There's someone I want you to meet." Simon and Soot jumped from their chairs and leapt over the table, sending spoons and bowls flying. They hurried across the floor, raced around the sofa, jumped over a stack of books, and then followed their father outside. Sam was curious to see who had come to visit, but he was also a bit timid. So he waited for Mama Squirrel to tie a pink bonnet onto her head. Then he followed her outside. The Squirrels' house was built high up in the Big Oak Tree. Spring had indeed arrived. The winter wind had given way to a gentle breeze, and the snow had melted, revealing new grass and yellow daffodils. Dew drops sparkled in the morning sun, which warmed Sam's furry cheeks. Songbirds twittered, and a chorus of frogs practiced their singing in the nearby pond. "Hello up there. Toodle-doo!" From his perch on the branch, Sam peered down at the forest floor. Then he gasped. The visitor was looking up at him. Her face wasn't furry--it was covered in wrinkly skin. Her ears weren't on the top of her head--they were on the sides. Long silver hair hung past her shoulders, and her feet were bare and pink. As far as Sam could tell, she didn't have a tail. And she was ginormous! Papa Squirrel bowed, then said, "Boys, I'd like you to meet Mother Nature. She is the caretaker of the Quiet Woods. Mother Nature, I'd like you to meet our new kits, Simon, Soot, and Sam." "Hello," said Simon. "HELLO!" said Soot. "Hello," said Sam. "Hello," Mother Nature replied. "What a lovely family." Sam couldn't figure out what he was looking at. "What kind of critter is she?" he asked Mama Squirrel. "She's tall enough to be a moose," Simon said. "SHE'S ROUND ENOUGH TO BE A PORCUPINE!" Soot said. "She's not a moose, and she's not a porcupine," Mama Squirrel told them. "Mother Nature is a person. She's the only person in the Quiet Woods." Mother Nature sighed. "Yes, it's true that I am the only person, which can be a burden because there's always so much work." She pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and held it up. "Look at this. It's my To-Do list for today, and it's very long." Sam's whiskers twitched. "What's a To-Do list?" he asked. "It's a list of all the things someone needs to do. Or wants to do. Or hopes to do," Mother Nature explained. Then she began to read from the piece of paper. "Replace a broken window in the rabbits' greenhouse. Find a new pond for the Beaver family. Wake the honey bees so they can pollinate the blackberries. Fix the--" She interrupted herself with a yawn. "Oh dear, I need a nap." "What you need is a vacation," Mama Squirrel said. "A vacation?" Mother Nature laughed. "Mother Nature can't go on vacation. Who would take care of the Peaceful Prairie or the Sunny Meadow or Percy's Pond?" She yawned again. "Who would check on the critters of the Quiet Woods, as I do each and every first day of spring? How are you doing, Squirrel family?" Papa Squirrel puffed out his chest with pride. "We scurried and gathered plenty of acorns and lots of nesting material, so we've been well fed and warm all winter." "That's good to hear," Mother Nature said. "The North Wind made much mischief this winter, so I'm happy that you had plenty of acorns." She tucked her list back into her pocket. "To celebrate the first day of spring, I've brought treats." She held out a basket and opened its lid. Simon's nose began to wiggle. "Food!" Simon and Soot scurried down the tree trunk, zigging and zagging until they reached the forest floor, where Mother Nature handed them each a little cake. "Would you like one?" she called up to Sam. "They're carrot cakes." "Yes, please." Sam did not zig or zag. Instead, he carefully made his way down the trunk. When he reached the forest floor, Mother Nature handed him a cake. That's when he noticed the yellow butterflies who were resting in her hair. "Thank you," he said. But he didn't take a bite of the cake. Instead he looked into Mother Nature's large brown eyes. "Can anyone make a list?" he asked. "Yes," she replied. "Lists can be made by anyone and can be about anything. Two of my favorite lists are Things I Like to Eat for Breakfast and Places I'd Like to Visit ." Sam's mind began to swirl with all sorts of lists that he might create. But he had another question. "Why did the North Wind make mischief?" Mother Nature smiled, and her face got even more wrinkly. "It is the North Wind's nature to make mischief. Just as it is a squirrel's nature to scurry and gather." She leaned closer. "Do you scurry?" Sam shook his head. "Not really." "Do you gather?" Sam shook his head again. "I like to think about things." "I see." Mother Nature licked a bit of carrot cake frosting from her finger. "Well, Sam Squirrel, who does not scurry or gather, it will be very interesting to watch you grow up. I shall keep an eye on you." Then she closed the basket and glanced at the sky. "Morning is quickly passing, and I have lots of other critters to visit. Happy spring, Squirrel family. Toodle-doo!" "Happy spring!" Mama and Papa Squirrel called, waving from their branch. Sam carefully held his carrot cake, watching as the first person he'd ever met, and the only person he would probably ever meet, walked away, butterflies taking flight around her silver head. Excerpted from Sam Squirrel by Suzanne Selfors All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
