Sam Squirrel - (Willow's Woods) by Suzanne Selfors

About the Book

"When Mother Nature goes on vacation, Sam Squirrel teams up with Prince Errol the elk and Mother Nature's granddaughter Willow to end winter in the Quiet Woods"--

Book Synopsis

The great-granddaughter of Mother Nature teams up with a squirrel to start the spring season in this first book in the charmingly whimsical chapter book series from bestselling and award-winning author Suzanne Selfors.

Willow has agreed to house-sit while her grandmother, Mother Nature, is on vacation. Willow thinks it's going to be as easy as watering a fern and feeding a cat, but when she arrives, she realizes her grandmother has left a long to-do list of difficult tasks like dusting the wings of a sleeping bat family, repairing the broken windows of a rabbit's greenhouse, and ending winter.

Ending winter? In her eagerness to take a vacation, Mother Nature forgot to catch the unruly North Wind for its long nap. So, even though it's the first day of spring, the entire land is covered in ice and snow. If the snow doesn't melt, allowing the spring grass to grow, the critters of the Quiet Woods will surely go hungry.

With the help of Sam Squirrel and an elk prince named Errol, will Willow be able to catch the unruly North Wind to preserve the natural balance her grandmother entrusted her with?

Review Quotes

"Selfors populates her enchanting woodland setting with kindly anthropomorphized animals; children will eagerly cheer on the earnest, uncertain Sam, who initially seems like an unlikely hero but readily rises to the occasion."-- "--Kirkus Reviews

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The series opener is a charmer from start to finish, packed with creative characters, cozy details, and gentle action. Sam is an irresistible protagonist; quick chapters, adorable illustrations, and heaps of humor will instantly appeal to young readers. A darling demonstration of the power of teamwork and self-confidence.--Booklist "12/1/2024"

Whimsical details bring the quaint setting to life, and charming ­gray-scale ­illustrations are peppered throughout. The story resolves neatly and also teases the next ­adventure. ­VERDICT Sure to please young nature-­lovers ­transitioning to longer ­chapter books.--School Library Journal "12/1/24"

About the Author

Suzanne Selfors is a bestselling author who lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest where rain falls like music and slugs frolic beneath ferns. She has a husband who works as a pilot, two grown-up kids, a rescue cat who was found living in a hole in a wall, and a nutty corgi named Fiona.

Ramona Kaulitzki has always spent her days doing something creative, from sewing to photography, but her biggest passion has always been drawing and storytelling. She is the illustrator of many picture books, including Bravo, Little Bird! by Annie Silvestro, The Christmas Owl by Gideon Sterer and Ellen Kalish, and the #1 New York Times bestseller Sisters First by Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush. Born and raised in a small city in Germany, Ramona enjoys riding horses. Her love for animals, and for nature, is a major inspiration for her work. Her illustrations are created digitally, but she also enjoys drawing and painting with traditional media. Visit her at RamonaKaulitzkiArt.com.