Fox and Squirrel Make a Friend. Ruth Ohi. Toronto, ON: Scholastic Canada, 2014. 32 pp., hardcover, $14.99. ISBN 978-1-4431-3320-3. Preschool-grade 2 / Ages 3-7. Review by Jane Whittingham. **½ /4 Reviewed from Advance Reading Copy.

excerpt:

“Squirrel does not need me", said Fox.
And Fox crawled back into his burrow.

In Fox and Squirrel Make a Friend, author-illustrator Ruth Ohi continues the adventures of the delightfully mismatched best friends first introduced in her picture book Fox and Squirrel. In this sweet, simple story, Squirrel meets a new friend, Yellow Bird, who seems to have a lot more in common with Squirrel than Fox does. As Squirrel and Yellow Bird explore the tops of the trees, a place where Fox cannot go, Fox soon begins to feel left out and worries that he has lost his best friend. Eventually, with Squirrel’s help, Fox realizes that new friends don’t have to replace existing ones. Ohi's simple, readily accessible text is once again complemented by colourful watercolour illustrations that bring the charming characters to life. Fox and Squirrel Make a Friend endearingly captures a familiar childhood experience and delivers a gentle, positive message about the enduring powers of friendship.    

Recommended.

Jane Whittingham is a Children's Librarian in British Columbia.

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