Toaff, a young gray squirrel, lives his life constantly asking questions.  His adventure begins during a ferocious winter storm when the tree in which he resides with his family is snapped in half.  Upon waking up alone, Toaff spends the next year trying to survive while searching for his place on the farm. He meets many other living creatures and tries out multiple living environments (alone in the ground, with The Lucky Ones in an exquisite drey, in a narrow tree with the Littles).  Nature lovers will enjoy reading about the world from a squirrel’s perspective although some of the descriptions may be hard to follow for those unfamiliar with a farm or who struggle with figurative language. Discovering the habits of squirrels including their many predators, the rhythms of a farm, and how the earth is impacted by the changing seasons may keep the reader engaged as they learn new terms (whuffling, nest-houses) and meet both common and unfamiliar creatures (fisher).  Readers in grades 4-8 may enjoy this coming of age story and relate to the impulsive, questioning Toaff who is not yet sure what he believes but feels as though he is the only one who thinks like he does. Voight’s creative chapter titles complement the text as do the simple, delightful pen and ink drawings. Parents using this book as a read aloud will find multiple issues to discuss including the value of listening to others, being discerning about what one hears, the purpose of rules, the value of all, loss (of home, of mother, of friend), and independence.

Reviewed by Heather Hale, Easton School District, Easton