Also by Lisa Moser: Cowboy Boyd and Mighty Calliope Kisses on the Wind Also illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev: Go!: Poetry in Motion Squirrel's World (Candlewick Sparks) by Lisa Moser, illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev Grades 1-2 48 pages Candlewick August 2008 Paperback     Prepare to meet Squirrel, who is always busy, busy, busy and jumps in to help his friends Mouse, Turtle and Rabbit - even when they don’t particularly want to be helped. When Squirrel finds Mouse gathering food, he declares that he is a great corn- and apple-picker and jumps in to assist, inadvertently burying Mouse in ten ears of corn and a treeful of apples in his frenzy. When Rabbit (who hates getting wet) wants a leaf to use as an umbrella, Squirrel offers his enthusiastic help, with the inevitable result of Rabbit being thoroughly doused in the process. The story ends on a sweet note, with Squirrel offering great help to Rabbit, who is scared of the dark. Children will giggle along with Squirrel’s many mishaps, although adults may soon tire of his manic actions and speech. Squirrel's World is arranged into four chapters, which can be read as stand-alone stories by a beginning reader of chapter books. The drawings by Valeri Gorbachev are attractive and amusing, and make the book accessible even to non-readers.     web reviews   Usha Reynolds/2008 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)