Whimsy abounds in a medley of poems about forest creatures and nature in the woods. Deborah Ruddell offers up a “Biography of a Beaver” (“Bucktoothed Cleaver / Tree Retriever…Waterproof Weaver…”), a “Proposal for a Squirrel Spa” (“someplace very la-di-dah, / with all the walnuts she can eat / and pedicures for all four feet”), and other smile-inducing rhymes. But she also pauses for moments of thoughtful reflection, as in “The Forest’s Royal Family”: “the deer inspect their royal grounds— / their breezy castles rising high, / their kingdom built of trees and sky.” The quirky quality of many of the illustrations is well-matched to the playful tone of the accompanying poems, while other images emphasize nature’s beauty. (Ages 4–8)

In a watery mirror
the rugged raccoon
admires his face
by the light of the moon:
the mysterious mask,
the whiskers beneath,
the sliver of cricket
still stuck in his teeth.

Take a lighthearted romp through four seasons in the forest with these whimsical poems. Marvel at the overachieving beaver, applaud the race-winning snail and its perfect trail of slime, or head off to be pampered at a squirrel spa.

Warning: Deborah Ruddell's quirky cast of animal characters and Joan Rankin's deliciously daffy pictures will cause giggles. The woods have never been so much fun!