Squirrels

Children's Literature

The “Backyard Animals” series includes nine titles about animals that can be found in cities and town around the country. Butterflies, coyotes, deer, opossums, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, sparrows and squirrels are featured in the series. Each animal is introduced with a large photo and information about where they live and a few characteristics that make them special. A brief history provides information about the development of the species worldwide. A large photograph of the animal provides information about their specific body parts and how they help it survive in nature. The animal’s life cycle and what it eats are illustrated with photographs. Details about where humans are most likely to interact with the featured animal and myths from various cultures make the information more relevant and interesting to young readers. Squirrels are very common small mammals known for their furry tails. The name squirrel comes from Greek words that mean “shadow” and “tail.” The animals earned this name by using their tails to shade them from the sun. There are many different species of squirrels that vary greatly in size. The smallest squirrel species is only 5 inches long, while the largest is 36 inches long. The largest squirrels live in India. There are three main groups of squirrels: tree squirrels, ground squirrels and flying squirrels. Many squirrels have adapted very well to living close to humans. Large photographs and sidebars with factoids make this a nice way to learn about common animals children might see in their neighborhood. Reviewer: Kristin Harris