The Squirrel, the Worm and the Nut Trees
Jimmie Powell
Reviewed by Charity R. Bartley Howard
Jimmie Powell tells a story about a squirrel family that works together
toward a common goal in The Squirrel, the Worm and the Nut Trees.
It is a family that struggles to get enough food or nuts for the winter
and must deal with a mean worm in the process. It is a cute story with
beautiful illustrations by Bobbi Switzer. It may be 48 pages, but a lot
of it features these nature illustrations that help keep children
interested and aids in the storytelling.
This is a book parents, grandparents or any youth caregiver will enjoy,
but the main audience is children, perhaps to age 10. After reading
this story to an audience of 5-year-olds to 3-year-olds, it received a
favorable reaction. Each child said they liked the story and one called
for it to be read again, adding it was wonderful. They enjoyed learning
about the squirrel family and their favorite part was when the family
worked together to create a plan. They didn’t like the worm only
because he was the bad guy and they weren’t suppose to like him.
It is a fun story that left the reader and listener with the message
that working together helps solve problems.
Powell is working on a follow-up and creating a series, which has
started with The Squirrel, the Worm and the Nut Trees.