Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary

Title:Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary
Author: David Sedaris
Pages: 159
Audio: 3 Hours



Inside cover blurb: Featuring David Sedaris's unique blend of hilarity and heart, this new collection of keen-eyed animal-themed tales is an utter delight. Though the characters may not be human, the situations in these stories bear an uncanny resemblance to the insanity of everyday life.

In "The Toad, the Turtle, and the Duck," three strangers commiserate about animal bureaucracy while waiting in a complaint line. In "Hello Kitty," a cynical feline struggles to sit through his prison-mandated AA meetings. In "The Squirrel and the Chipmunk," a pair of star-crossed lovers is separated by prejudiced family members.

With original illustrations by Ian Falconer, author of the bestselling Olivia series of children's books, these stories are David Sedaris at his most observant, poignant, and surprising.

My take: I listened to this book and loved it. David Sedaris is a wonderful storyteller, read some of his autobiography short stories if you haven't yet. He is honest and hilarious. This audio is great, Mr. Sedaris reads several of the stories but some of the stories are read by Elaine Stritch. Elaine does a wonderful job as well. This book is recommended highly!

Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree by Eileen Christelow

After using the Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed rhyme and actions with the children last week, I was surprised to learn that that was the ONLY Five Little Monkeys story they knew. So, this week, I introduced them to Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree by Eileen Christelow. This one actually seemed a little scary to the three year olds I was with. They were afraid the children really HAD been eaten by the crocodile - until we looked for the monkeys HIDDEN in the tree after the crocodile went SNAP! 32 pages.

The Itsy Bitsy Spider by Iza Trapani

Iza Trapani gives a delightful retelling of the well-loved children's song, The Itsy Bitsy Spider. This spider not only climbs the waterspout, but also the kitchen wall, yellow pail, rocking chair and maple tree! The children loved the illustrations and singing the new verses. 32 pages.

Where Will the Animals Stay? by Stephanie Calmenson and Pets I Wouldn't Pick by Susan Alton Schmeltz

Books about animals are always popular with children, so I decided to dust off these two books in the Parents Magazine Read Aloud Original series. In Where Will the Animals Stay? the zoo at Peabody Square is undergoing major construction and a temporary home must be located for all the animals. A kind lady learns of the dilemma and offers her apartment house for the duration. Colorful illustrations offer children the chance to identify a wide variety of animals. 48 pages.

In Pets I Wouldn't Pick a young girl gives advice on what animals to avoid bringing home as pets. The children had fun considering the various pet possibilities.48 pages.

But No Elephants by Jerry Smath

Grandma Tildy has a soft heart for pets - except elephants! She finds each new pet she adopts can do something extremely well that makes her life easier. Can the same be said for the elephant that is left at her door? Charming illustrations and a delightful tale. 40 pages.

Adam Raccoon Series by Glen Keane

I have recently been taking care of the children in our church nursery and decided to introduce them to the lovable Adam Raccoon series written and illustrated by Glen Keane.The illustrations are colorful and the stories quickly capture the children's attention. The kids enjoy seeing what tale I pull out of my reading bag and are ALWAYS wanting to hear what Adam is up to now. Each story has a life lesson. There is even a discussion guide available in the back of the book. This is the Parables for Kids about Witnessing series. I wish I had purchased all of the titles when they first came out. They can be hard to get a hold of now.

As a side note, Glen Keane is best known for his character animation at Walt Disney Studios for feature films including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Tangled. 

So far, we have read Adam Raccoon at Forever Falls, Adam Raccoon and the King's Big Dinner, Adam Raccoon and the Mighty Giant and Adam Raccoon and the Race to Victory Mountain. Each book has 48 pages.