The Squirrels' Busy Year: A First Science Storybook

Budding scientists will enjoy a gentle introduction to the seasons as squirrels scamper through the winter, spring, summer, and fall.

It’s winter. It’s cold! The squirrels are digging up acorns to eat. But what will they eat in the spring, when the acorns are gone? As the bushy-tailed creatures weather snowstorms, thunderstorms, and hot summer days, this gentle story uses simple, clear language and beautiful illustrations to introduce very young readers to the seasons and the changing weather they bring. Basic questions at the end help children remember and expand on what they’ve learned, and back matter includes an index.Muted, mixed-media illustrations pair nicely with spare, poetic text that depicts the seasons in a forest...A lyrical introduction to STEM for budding scientists, animal lovers, and artists everywhere.
—Kirkus Reviews

Mixed-media illustrations echo the scientific sophistication of the text, using a muted palette that still captures each season’s distinct landscapes, trees, and animal behaviors. The stylized, but not anthropomorphized, squirrels are filled with personality, as if stopped for just a moment as they scurry up and down tree branches.
—The Horn Book

Jones’ lovely illustrations capture the serenity and drama of nature, and Jenkins’ storybook approach makes the information easy to digest.
—BooklistMartin Jenkins has written many celebrated books for children, including the First Science Storybook Bird Builds a Nest, illustrated by Richard Jones; The Emperor’s Egg, illustrated by Jane Chapman; and Can We Save the Tiger?, illustrated by Vicky White. Martin Jenkins lives in England, where he works as a conservation biologist.

Richard Jones is also the illustrator of the First Science Storybook Bird Builds a Nest, written by Martin Jenkins. He lives in England.