by Zachariah OHora
Dial Books, 2015. Picture book.
Two city squirrels eagerly await their cousin Momo’s
arrival, bragging to their friends that he is a flying squirrel. But when he
finally comes, he’s not what they expected. He’s too shy to fly, he dresses up
as Muffin Man when playing superheroes, he eats the acorns when playing Acorn
Pong, and he doesn’t even know how to play hide and seek. The cousins express
their disgust but realize they’ve gone too far when Momo tearfully packs his
bags. They beg him to stay and decide to try things Momo’s way, leading to all
kinds of new discoveries and fun. They even dress up as dessert superheroes:
“Pastry Power!”
OHora’s retro art and furry squirrels are adorable. Readers
will feel compassion for Momo as the odd one out, and get some food for thought
as the cousins experiment with celebrating differences. Great lessons for both
sides wrapped up in a sweet, funny package.
Comments