Fox and Squirrel

by Ruth Ohi

"We are very different," said squirrel. "Not that different," said Fox. "Can Fox help Squirrel see that they don't have to be the same to be best friends? Ages 4 - 7

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Animals, Childrens, Canada, Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Ruth is the illustrator of over 50 books, including 15 of which she also wrote. She is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design.

Her books have been selected for the Pennsylvania Centre for the Book's “Baker’s Dozen”, the Canadian Toy Testing Council's "Great Books", the Ontario Library Association's "Best Bets", and the Toronto Public Library's "First & Best". They have been shortlisted for awards such as the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book, Amelia Francis Howard-Gibbons , Mr. Christie, and Blue Spruce.

Plenty of pdf printables can found on her website. Printables include puppets, games and creative handouts for her latest books.

A favourite part of her job is hosting workshops where young people get as excited about creating their own visual stories as she does.

Reviews

[Peyton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruth Ohi writes “Fox and Squirrel”, “Fox and Squirrel Make a Friend”, and “Fox and Squirrel Help Out”. It is a cute collection of stories about two friends. The first, “Fox and Squirrel” see the two creatures becoming friends and thinking about how they are both different and the same. “Fox and Squirrel Make a Friend” depicts friendships and how it is important not to forget old friends when you make new ones. “Fox and Squirrel Help Out” shows the value of helping others when they are in need. The illustrations (done by Ruth Ohi) are super cute. The animals are given rounder lines which makes them come off more adorable than they would if they had more straight lines and corners. I would say that these books, if they take off, could rival Piggie and Elephant for friendship stories.

[FM Family · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is ok, really a 3 star in the big picture but my 3.5 year old likes this series and Ruth Ohi so much I gotta give it 4. This is the first introduction to these two and is a compare and contrast about “you like x and I like y, but we can still be friends”

The best part is the strange talk rat who steps out from behind the tree and is like “why are you guys friends anyway” and then after they tell him he “crawls back into the hole where he came from”. You tell em Ruth Ohi! Silence the haters. Hahaha.

Ends very abruptly, but overall a cute one.

[Tracy Schillemore · Rating 4 out of 5]

The nice thing about thing about this book is that it is part of a series and once your child reads this one they will be eager to start reading other books in the series. This one is about how we are all similar in some ways and different is some ways.

[angrykitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a cute little book that reminds 1 to pay more attention to what makes us similar instead of what makes us different.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice story about being friends.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not about the differences, but about finding the similarities. Squirrel starts off by noticing only how Fox and he are not alike, but progresses towards thinking otherwise as Fox continuously gives examples to the contrary. Due to how it is written, the feel starts off as rather negative, only gradually changing into a more positive emotion through Fox's persistence. Highlighting their differences is the red used for Fox, and the purple for Squirrel, yet similarities in their design also get pointed out later.

Into this mix comes Rat, who is incapable of seeing past their outward dissimilarities. Fox too addresses this, pointing out their common interests, needs, and feelings.

Rather than focusing on how people come to hate others, the author shows how people become friends. Commonalities exist between individuals, cultures, and even species, it just requires an open mind and heart to find these out.

[Danika Bernard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually enjoy woodland creature stories in general and was attracted to the illustrations in this book but when I read it I was disappointed. There was just not enough excitement or plot in this book for me or the audience I shared it with. The story involves a fox and a squirrel comparing their differences and finding that they can be friends despite these differences. Other characters enter the story (bear, swarm of bees, and rat) but their parts are minimal and don't really add to the story.

[Kelly Workman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fox and Squirrel is a very cute book about how even though two people may seem different, they can still be friends. This pictures are simple, and it makes the book even better. However, the end of this book was a bit confusing. It ends with a question directed at rat, and it took me a while to figure out exactly what it meant.

[Carrie Gelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Such a beautiful little story about celebrating similarities and differences and finding common ground.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another one of those stories about celebrating similarities AND differences. Great lesson for a kindergarten class storytime. Fluffy animals, colourful pictures, and a good message.

[Jayme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute story about how you can still be friends even though you are different. Great message!

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining and warm. My granddaughters and I enjoyed reading it. They'll enjoy it again and again.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a simple story about two little animals who - although different - find they have similarities and can be friends.